Java Sparrow

The Java Sparrow (Lonchura oryzivora (Linnaeus, 1758) syn. Padda oryzivora, Estrildidae) is a small passerine bird. It is also known as Java Finch, Java Rice Sparrow, Java Rice Bird, Paradise Sparrow, Ricebird, Rice Bird, Paddy Rice Bird, Rice Munia, Paddy Bird, Temple Bird, Java Temple Bird.

This estrildid finch is a resident breeding bird in Java, Bali and Bawean in Indonesia. It is a popular cagebird, and has been introduced in a large number of other countries. Some taxonomists place this and the Timor Sparrow in their own genus Padda. The Java Sparrow is about 15–17 cm in length from the beak to its tip of tail feathers. 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.

The Java sparrow is considered to be a serious agricultural pest of rice. Due to ongoing habitat loss and hunting in some areas, the Java Sparrow is now uncommon in its native range. It is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species