Red Fody of Madagascar

Originating from Madagascar, this bird has been introduced to widely-spread tropical island nations, including the Seychelles, Reunion, and Mauritius because of its ability to fly long distances.  

Only the male exhibits the unusually bright red plummage, while the female adorns a more subtle olive-beige tone.  It is considered a pest in some areas because it eats farmers’ rice and competes with other endangered island species for food.  The EU has funded eradication programs on some islands to protect native endangered species but the Red fody has began to cross-breed with other island bird species according to some research.