Rodrigues Fody Foudia flavicans Scientific name definitions

12 cm; 13–17 g. Male breeding has golden-yellow head and nape, mantle and back more brownish-olive with broad dark central streaks, rump brown or pale yellow (variable); upperwing and tail brown, wing-coverts with buff to yellowish margins; forehead to upper throat orange, crossed by small black mask; lower throat and breast golden-yellow; flanks, belly, thighs and undertail-coverts buffy white; iris brown; bill black; legs brown. Male non-breeding retains yellow wash on face, black bill (usually only a short period in this eclipse plumage). Female has forehead, crown and nape to back dull olive-brown with narrow dark central streaks, streaking broadest on back, rump plain olive-brown; wing and tail dark olive-brown, broad pale edges on wing-coverts; indistinct grey-buff supercilium; cheek and ear-coverts pale olive-brown, chin, throat, breast, belly and undertail-coverts dull white with yellowish tinge, flanks and thighs dull white with buffy wash; bare parts as for male. Juvenile resembles female, but with some yellow on throat, and bill pale horn-coloured.

Rodrigues, in E Mascarene Is.

Remnant natural forest; also exotic trees and shrubs where sufficiently dense.

Resident.

Diet mainly insects, including caterpillars (Lepidoptera) and homopteran bugs; also spiders (Araneae); also takes some fruit, and seeds of Casuarina. Nectar-feeding frequent, with brush-tipped tongue apparently adapted for this; will pierce calyx or pluck out corolla of Tabebuia flowers, also feed from rose-apple (Syzygium), Erythrina and Hibiscus. Often forages by gleaning along branches and in canopy. Encountered in pairs or family parties; flocks reported in 1865, and three flocks (of 14–25 individuals) recorded in 1999. Occasionally in mixed-species flocks with F. madagascariensis, Rodrigues Brush-warbler (Acrocephalus rodericanus), House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Common Waxbill (Estrilda astrild).

Song includes melodious notes, terminating in a rattle or buzz; both male and female sing, although female song phrase significantly shorter. Contact call between individuals "plick", which used also in interactions between males; "chew" note in flight, also incorporated into song.

Perhaps not seasonal, but opportunistic; records for Jul–Sept, Nov and Feb–Mar. Monogamous. Pair defends territory of 1000–4000 m² throughout year. Nest oval, with side entrance and short porch, rather roughly woven from grass, a few feathers reported as lining, placed 1·5-4·5 m above ground at end of branch, most often of Araucaria tree; in captivity male built basic nest frame, whereas field observations suggest that female builds nest; may use same tree for successive nests. Clutch generally 3 eggs, pale blue, average size of seven eggs 18·3 x 13·6 mm; incubation by female only, period 13–16 days in captivity; of two captive pairs, only female fed chicks at one nest, whereas at other both parents fed chicks and removed faecal sacs, live food carried in bill, chicks fed also by regurgitation, nestling period c. 14 days (both in field and in aviary); fledglings fed by both male and female. Of 14 nests, six produced fledged young; nests destroyed by children apparently the only evidence of impact by predators, although rats (Rattus) present on the island.

Not globally threatened. Currently considered Near Threatened. It has been downlisted from Vulnerable following evidence that its population is larger than previously estimated and rising rapidly. Restricted range species: present in Rodrigues EBA. Restricted to a single island, on which it has a small population. In 1964, noted as still common in natural vegetation, although greatly outnumbered by introduced F. madagascariensis. Apparently drastic reduction in numbers following cyclone in 1968, after which only five or six pairs found; in 1974 total of 20–25 pairs present, this increasing to 60 pairs in 1980s, and total population estimated at 300 individuals in 1991. Survey in 1999 recorded more than 300 pairs on territories, and total population more than 900 individuals, following a programme of reforestation, primarily with non-native tree species. By 2010 the total population already numbered up to 8,000 individuals External link . Prior to introduction of F. madagascariensis (c. 1874) was reportedly common over the whole island, including in more open habitats; decline in 1960s coincided with clearance of natural vegetation for agriculture.