Whilst birding Al Hair, near Riyadh recently I came across a small group of Red Avadavat, including males, females and juveniles. Birds were seen feeding in a mixed flock of birds including Streaked Weavers, Arabian Golden Sparrows and Indian Silverbills as well as on their own where they favoured the reed beds to perch. This species has been noted breeding in this area for the last twenty years at least but I have not tried to see them until this trip. The birds almost certainly originated from escaped cage birds but now are part of the Saudi Arabian breeding species avifauna.
