Java sparrow

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Java sparrow
Buberel Lonchura oryzivora 3.jpg
CITES Appendix II (CITES) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Estrildidae
Genus: Lonchura
Species:
L. oryzivora
Binomial name
Lonchura oryzivora
Synonyms
  • Loxia oryzivoraLinnaeus, 1758
  • Padda oryzivora(Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Lonchura oryzivora ssp. oryzivoraDowsett and Forbes-Watson, 1993
  • Lonchura oryzivora ssp. oryzivoraChristidis and Boles, 1994
  • Lonchura oryzivora ssp. oryzivoraChristidis and Boles, 2008

The Java sparrow (Lonchura oryzivora), also known as Java finch, Java rice sparrow or Java rice bird, is a small passerine bird. [3] 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.

Taxonomy

A couple of Java rice sparrows in a cage, 2023

The Java sparrow was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Loxia oryzivora. [4] The specific epithet combines Latin oryza meaning "rice" with -vorus meaning "eating". [5] Linnaeus based his description on the "Padda or Rice-bird" that had been described and illustrated in 1743 by the English naturalist George Edwards in his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Edwards believed that his specimens had come from China but mentions the common name "Java sparrow". [6] The species was reclassified to the genus Lonchura in 2020. [7]

Description

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. [8] 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.

Both sexes are similar. Immature birds have brown upperparts and pale brown underparts, and a plain head. Very young birds have a black beak with a pink base.

The call is a chip, and the song is a rapid series of call notes chipchipchipchipchipchip.

Habitat

The Java sparrow is a very gregarious bird which feeds mainly on grain and other seeds. It frequents open grassland and cultivation, and was formerly a pest in rice fields, hence its scientific name. The nest is constructed in a tree or building, and up to eight eggs are laid.

Aviculture

The Java sparrow has been a popular cage bird in Asia for centuries, first in China's Ming Dynasty and then in Japan from the 17th century, frequently appearing in Japanese paintings and prints. Meiji-era writer Natsume Sōseki wrote an essay about his pet Java sparrow. In the late 1960s and early 1970s the Java sparrow was one of the most popular cage birds in the United States until its import was banned. Today it remains illegal to possess in California because of a perceived threat to agriculture, although rice-dependent Asian countries like China, Taiwan and Japan have not regulated the bird.

In Asia the Java sparrow is most often raised almost from birth by human breeders and owners, and they become very tame and attached to humans. As such, they can be normally kept in relatively small cages, but let out for indoor exercise without their attempting to escape. In captivity, a variety of colourations have been bred, including white, silver/opal, fawn/isabel, pastel, cream and agate (which currently is rare within Europe captive specimens) along with the pied Java sparrow (called the sakura buncho in Japan).

Introductions

Adult in Hawaii Padda oryzivora -University of Hawaii at Manoa campus, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA-8.jpg
Adult in Hawaii
A juvenile in Hawaii with a black/dark-grey beak Padda oryzivora -University of Hawaii at Manoa campus, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA -juvenile-8-4c.jpg
A juvenile in Hawaii with a black/dark-grey beak
A white Buncho in Yatomi, Japan Yatomi Japanese Rice Bird ac.jpg
A white Buncho in Yatomi, Japan

The Java sparrow was introduced in the Indian subcontinent, [9] but it failed to become a successful resident on the Indian mainland. [10] In the United States there are breeding populations on several of the Hawaiian Islands, especially Oahu.

In the Caribbean, the Java sparrow was introduced to Puerto Rico where it is fairly common near San Juan. It has also been sighted in Jamaica, but is not known to occur on any of the other islands. [11] It was also introduced to Christmas Island, off the coast of Western Australia.

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 with less than 10,000 individuals remaining. It is also listed on Appendix II of CITES. [12] The species is also severely threatened by the illegal exotic pet trade as they are sought after for their distinctive song, according to TRAFFIC. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Estrildidae</span> Family of birds

Estrildidae, or estrildid finches, is a family of small seed-eating passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They comprise species commonly known as munias, mannikins, firefinches, parrotfinches and waxbills. Despite the word "finch" being included in the common names of some species, they are not closely related to birds with this name in other families, such as the Fringillidae, Emberizidae or Passerellidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian silverbill</span> Species of bird

The Indian silverbill or white-throated munia is a small passerine bird found in the Indian Subcontinent and adjoining regions that was formerly considered to include the closely related African silverbill. This estrildid finch is a common resident breeding bird in the drier regions of the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. It has also been introduced into many other parts of the world and has become established in some areas. They forage in small flocks in grassland and scrub habitats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-rumped munia</span> Species of bird

The white-rumped munia or white-rumped mannikin, sometimes called striated finch in aviculture, is a small passerine bird from the family of waxbill "finches" (Estrildidae). These are not close relatives of the true finches (Fringillidae) or true sparrows (Passeridae).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scaly-breasted munia</span> Species of bird native to South and Southeast Asia

The scaly-breasted munia or spotted munia, known in the pet trade as nutmeg mannikin or spice finch, is a sparrow-sized estrildid finch native to tropical Asia. A species of the genus Lonchura, it was formally described and named by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. Its name is based on the distinct scale-like feather markings on the breast and belly. The adult is brown above and has a dark conical bill. The species has 11 subspecies across its range, which differ slightly in size and color.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chestnut munia</span> Species of bird

The chestnut munia or black-headed munia is a small passerine. It was formerly considered conspecific with the closely related tricoloured munia, but is now widely recognized as a separate species. This estrildid finch is a resident breeding bird in Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam and Hawaii. It also has been introduced to all the Greater Antilles and Martinique in the Caribbean.

<i>Padda</i> Genus of birds

Padda is a genus of estrildid finches restricted to islands in southern Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-breasted meadowlark</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red avadavat</span> Species of bird

The red avadavat, red munia or strawberry finch, is a sparrow-sized bird of the family Estrildidae. It is found in the open fields and grasslands of tropical Asia and is popular as a cage bird due to the colourful plumage of the males in their breeding season. It breeds in the Indian Subcontinent in the monsoon season. The species name of amandava and the common name of avadavat are derived from the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India, from where these birds were exported into the pet trade in former times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timor sparrow</span> Species of bird

The Timor sparrow, also known as Timor dusky sparrow, is a small, approximately 14 cm (5.5 in) long, plump dark brown songbird with a large silvery-blue bill, white cheek, pink feet and creamy-white belly. Both sexes are similar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple-naped lory</span> Species of bird

The purple-naped lory is a species of parrot in the family Psittaculidae. It is forest-dwelling endemic to the islands of Seram, Ambon, and perhaps also Haruku and Saparua, South Maluku, Indonesia. It is considered endangered, the main threat being from trapping for the cage-bird trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red-headed finch</span> Species of bird

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue waxbill</span> Species of bird

The blue waxbill, also called southern blue waxbill, blue-breasted waxbill, southern cordon-bleu, blue-cheeked cordon-bleu, blue-breasted cordon-bleu and Angola cordon-bleu, is a common species of estrildid finch found in Southern Africa. It is also relatively commonly kept as an aviary bird.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Violet-eared waxbill</span> Species of bird

The violet-eared waxbill or common grenadier is a common species of estrildid finch found in drier land of Southern Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-faced munia</span> Species of bird

The black-faced munia is a species of estrildid finch found in Indonesia and East Timor. It occurs in a wide range of habitats including artificial landscapes, forest, grassland and savannah. It was first described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae in 1766. The IUCN has evaluated the status of this bird as being of least concern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White-headed munia</span> Species of bird

The white-headed munia is a species of estrildid finch found in Teladan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. This species is also introduced to Portugal. It is found in wetlands habitat. The status of the species is evaluated as Least Concern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tricoloured munia</span> Species of bird

The tricoloured munia is an estrildid finch, native to Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and southern China. The species has also been introduced to the Caribbean, in Trinidad, Jamaica, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Venezuela. This species, like the chestnut munia has been known as the black-headed munia. Immature birds have pale brown upperparts, lack the dark head found in adults, and have uniform buff underparts that can be confused with immatures of other munias such as the scaly-breasted munia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black-breasted weaver</span> Species of bird

The black-breasted weaver, also known as the Bengal weaver or black-throated weaver, is a weaver resident in the northern river plains of the Indian subcontinent. Like the other weavers, the males build an enclosed nest from reeds and mud, and visiting females select a mate at least partially based on the quality of the nest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orangequit</span> Genus of birds

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References

  1. ↑ BirdLife International (2021). "Padda oryzivora". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T22719912A183133210. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T22719912A183133210.en . Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. ↑ Java Sparrow – Padda oryzivora (may change to Lonchura oryzivora). eFinch.com
  4. ↑ Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin). Vol. 1 (10th ed.). Holmiae (Stockholm): Laurentii Salvii. p. 173.
  5. ↑ Jobling, James A. (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 285. ISBN   978-1-4081-2501-4.
  6. ↑ Edwards, George (1743). A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. Vol. Part I. London: Printed for the author at the College of Physicians. pp. 41, 42, Plates 41, 42.
  7. ↑ Olsson, U.; Alström, P. (2020). "A comprehensive phylogeny and taxonomic evaluation of the waxbills (Aves: Estrildidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 146: 106757. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2020.106757. PMID   32028027.
  8. ↑ Dunning, John B. Jr., ed. (2008). CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses (2nd ed.). CRC Press. ISBN   978-1-4200-6444-5.
  9. ↑ Hume, Allan Octavian. The Nests and Eggs of Indian Birds, Volume II. R. H. Porter, 1890, p. 128
  10. ↑ "Ceylon Bird Club Rarities and Records Committee : Appendix II" (PDF). Ceylonbirdclub.org. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  11. ↑ Raffaele, Herbert A.; Wiley, James; Garrido, Orlando H.; Keith, Allan; Raffaele, Janis I. (23 April 2010). Birds of the West Indies. Princeton University Press. pp. 196–. ISBN   978-1-4008-3618-5.
  12. ↑ "Red List: Northern Bald Ibis, Pink Pigeon making a comeback". Birdlife.org. Retrieved 2018-11-23.
  13. ↑ "Asian Songbirds - Species we work with at TRAFFIC". Traffic.org. Retrieved 2019-01-10.
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