Introduced to British Indian Ocean Territory, Comoros, Mauritius (B), Réunion, Seychelles, St Helena (B).
Madagascar. Introduced on Reunion, Mauritius, Seychelles, Rodrigues, Amirantes and Chagos Is, in Indian Ocean, also on St Helena, in Atlantic Ocean; recently found breeding in Arabian Peninsula (Oman and Bahrain). Present also on Is Glorieuses and Comoro Is, which it may have colonized without human assistance.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Red Fody (Foudia madagascariensis) [XC162340]
by Albert Lastukhin & Alexandr Shirjaev from Parc Mosa, Ifaty, Toliara, Madagascar (call, song)
Red Fody (Foudia madagascariensis) [XC623660]
by Ken Behrens from Bemanevika, Bealanana District, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar (call)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Sometimes considered conspecific with Forest Fody (Foudia omissa). Has hybridized with Seychelles Fody (Foudia sechellarum) in Seychelles (Aride I). An old report of hybridization in captivity with Vitelline Masked Weaver (Ploceus vitellinus) and with domestic canary (Serinus).