Seychelles fody facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seychelles fody |
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| on a 1979 stamp of Seychelles | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Foudia
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| Species: |
sechellarum
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The Seychelles fody (Foudia sechellarum) is a small, yellowish songbird. It is native to the Seychelles islands. These islands are located in the Indian Ocean. This bird naturally lives in woodlands. However, it can also live in places like coconut farms and gardens.
Contents
What Does the Seychelles Fody Look Like?
Male Seychelles fodies have a bright yellow face. This yellow color appears during their breeding season. Female fodies do not have this yellow face. Most of their feathers are a dull olive color. Their beak is black.
This bird grows to be about 12.5 cm (5 inches) long. Female and young fodies look similar to the red fody. However, you can tell them apart. Seychelles fodies have fewer streaks on their upper body.
How Do Seychelles Fodies Live?
The Seychelles fody mainly eats insects. It also enjoys other small creatures like spiders. They also eat fruits, nectar, and seeds. Sometimes, they even eat the eggs of seabirds. For example, they might eat eggs from the White tern. Their diet includes bugs, beetles, and ants.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
On some islands, like Cousin Island, these birds have a clear breeding season. This season is usually from May to September. After breeding, they shed their old feathers. On other islands, Seychelles fodies might breed all year long. They share their home in the Seychelles with a similar bird. This bird is the red fody, which was brought to the islands by people.
Saving the Seychelles Fody
The Seychelles fody was once an "endangered" bird. This meant it was at high risk of disappearing forever. But thanks to hard work, its status has improved. The International Union for Conservation of Nature now calls it "near threatened." This change happened because of successful conservation efforts. These efforts were led by an organization called Nature Seychelles.
Today, there are about 3,500 Seychelles fodies. People have helped these birds by moving them to islands without predators. Predators are animals that hunt other animals. This has helped the fody population grow. For example, birds moved to Aride Island tried to breed three times in just over a year. This shows how well they are doing.
