# Java Sparrow

Scientific name: Padda oryzivora

Bird group: [finch](https://birdsofpuertorico.com/family/finch)

Canonical source: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/bird/256/Java-Sparrow

## Identification

The Java sparrow (Padda oryzivora), also known as Java finch, Java rice sparrow or Java rice bird, is a small passerine bird. This estrildid finch is a resident breeding bird in Java, Bali and Bawean in Indonesia. It is a popular cage bird, and has been introduced into many other countries. Some taxonomists place this and the Timor sparrow in their own genus Padda.
The Java sparrow is about 15 to 17 cm (5.9 to 6.7 in) in length from the beak to its tip of tail feathers.  Although only about the size of a house sparrow, it may be the largest species in the estrildid family. The mean body mass is 24.5 g (0.86 oz), making it slightly heavier than its nearest known rival, the black-bellied seedeater. The adult is unmistakable, with its grey upperparts and breast, pink belly, white-cheeked black head, red eye-ring, pink feet and thick red bill.


## Threats

The Java sparrow is considered by some countries to be an agricultural pest with respect to rice cultivation. An ongoing loss of natural habitat, hunting in some areas and trapping (as a pest) in others has led to much smaller numbers in the wild and sightings in its natural range have become increasingly uncommon. The Java sparrow is now evaluated as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (uplisted from vulnerable in 2018) and is listed on Appendix II of CITES.[10] The species is also severely threatened by the illegal exotic pet trade as they are sought after for their distinctive song, according to TRAFFIC.[11]


## Distribution and habitat

The Java Sparrow is native to Java, Sumatra, and Bali, and has 
been introduced to Puerto Rico, 
Jamaica (Camacho Rodríguez 
and others 1999, Raffaele and 
others 1998), Hawaii, and other 
tropical regions (Oberle 2018). In 
Puerto Rico, it is established and 
fairly common in metropolitan 
San Juan (Oberle 2018, Raffaele 
and others 1998), and it is one of 
the most common bird species 
in Old San Juan (Oberle 2018). 
Habitat includes mostly urban 
areas with short grass and lawns 
with seeding grasses (Raffaele 
and others 1998). In its native 
habitat, it is considered a pest 
in rice fields (Oberle 2018). The atlas fieldwork yielded a 
total of 11 records within seven 
hexagons or 1.4 percent of the 
479 total hexagons (see map). 
Of the seven hexagons where 
this species was found, breeding 
met the atlas definition of 
confirmed in 43 percent (three) 
of the hexagons, probable in 43 
percent (three), and possible in 
14 percent (one) (see map).Java Sparrow distribution. The map shows the highest breeding code by hexagon and overlaying the ecological life zones in 
Puerto Rico. Note: percentages may not total 100 due to rounding. 

## Breeding

Previously published reports indicate that the Java Sparrow 
breeds from July to February 
(Raffaele and others 1998). The 
nest is usually made of grass 
and is built in a crevice, window 
ledge (Raffaele and others       247Java Sparrow/Gorrión de Java1998), hole, or under eaves of a building (Oberle 2018). Atlas 
results show that this species 
breeds mostly from May to July 
and to a lesser extent during 
August and November, and the 
breeding activity peaks in May 
(see chart). Results show that this 
species breeds in the subtropical 
moist forest life zone (100 
percent of the hexagons) (see 
table and map).

## Conservation

The current population trend of the Java Sparrow is described as 
decreasing in its native range (BirdLife International 2018, 
Yuda 2008). This species is 
currently listed as Endangered by 
the IUCN (BirdLife International 
2018). Locally, this species is not 
listed in any of the threatened 
categories of PRDNER and 
USFWS. In Puerto Rico, the Java 
Sparrow has a protected habitat 
in land of 5 percent or 7 km2 of the total area covered by 
the hexagons where evidence 
of breeding was found for this 
species (143 km2). 

Photo: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_256_Im0.png.webp

Distribution map: https://birdsofpuertorico.com/static/images/webp/in_256_Im1.png.webp

Source note: Text is reproduced from this site's published record. Historical conservation statements and taxonomy have not been independently revalidated. See https://birdsofpuertorico.com/about for source credits and limitations.