Java Sparrow

Overview

The Java sparrow (Padda oryzivora), also known as the Java finch, is a small passerine bird in the family Estrildidae. It is a resident breeding bird in Java, Bali, and Bawean in Indonesia, and is currently listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List with fewer than 10,000 individuals remaining in the wild.

Identification

• Approximately 15 to 17 cm in length, slightly heavier than a house sparrow with a mean body weight of 24.5 g.
• Unmistakable adult plumage features grey upperparts and breast, a pink belly, a white-cheeked black head, a red eye-ring, pink feet, and a thick red bill.
• Both sexes are similar in appearance, whereas immature birds have brown upperparts and pale brown underparts with a plain head.
• Vocalisations include a sharp chip call and a song described as a rapid series of notes, transcribed as 'chipchipchipchipchipchip'.

Habitat

The species is native to the islands of Java, Bali, and Bawean in Indonesia, where it frequents open grassland and cultivated areas. It is a very gregarious bird that constructs its nest in trees or buildings. Although its natural range is limited to Indonesia, it has been introduced to locations such as the Indian subcontinent, the Hawaiian Islands, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Christmas Island, though it is not a successful resident on the Indian mainland.

Diet

The Java sparrow feeds mainly on grain and other seeds. It was formerly considered a pest in rice fields, a fact reflected in its scientific name which combines Latin words meaning 'rice' and 'eating'.

Did you know?

In Asia, the bird is often raised almost from birth by human breeders, making it extremely tame and attached to humans; as a result, they can be let out of their cages for indoor exercise without attempting to escape.