Java Sparrow
The Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora) is a small passerine bird that is native to the Indonesian islands of Java, Bali, and Bawean. It is also known as the Java Finch or Rice Bird.
The Java Sparrow is a popular bird in aviculture due to its striking appearance, which includes a grayish-black head and upper parts, a pinkish-brown belly, and white cheeks. The males have a black bib on their chest, while the females have a more subdued coloration.
In the wild, Java Sparrows are social birds that typically form small flocks. They feed mainly on grass seeds, rice, and other grains, as well as small insects.
Java Sparrows have been introduced to other parts of the world, including Hawaii, where they are considered an invasive species. However, they are a protected species in their native range due to habitat loss and trapping for the pet trade. There are now several color forms of the Java sparrow, the original grey and white, fawn and pied. The description below applies to the grey bird.
Description:
Size: 13 cm (51/2 in)
COCK:
Head and tail: black. Cheeks: white. Body: dove-grey. There is an eye ring of red, hare skin. Beak: pink. Legs: pinkish-beige.
HEN:
Alike. sexing cannot be done by appearance, so watch for display behavior.
Diet: (Seedeater)
Mixed millets and plain canary seeds form the basic diet. Hemp is also appreciated, as is green food.
Breeding:
Boxes or baskets are often used.
Java Sparrow Pet Care Tips
- The birds are genetically prolific. A single clutch may consist of 6 to 8 birds.
- The birds growing in breeding firms are generally banned.
- Though very small in size but it would be ideal for you to serve the bird with a big-sized nest. A nest box of the measurements 5″x5″ is good for the bird to incubate but a size of 8″x8″ would rather be ideal for the bird while rearing its children.
- As a pet owner, you are recommended to offer them a nest box as the birds are poor at building comfortable homes. If allowed to build nests they generally choose coarse materials, like coconut fiber, shredded papers, pine needles, and such. They hardly use soft feathers, if at all they use then those are generally large tail feathers of birds like mountain quail.
- The birds do not have a specific breeding season. They can breed any time whenever they find the weather to be fine. Except for very hot summers and cold winters, the birds can breed throughout the year.
- Do not allow your birds to multiply freely otherwise, it would become tough for you to take proper care of them.
You would be quite surprised to know that though the bird is quite fertile, having the ability to breed almost around the year and producing a good number of chicks in small clutches, the bird is listed in CITES of appendix two(Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora). In some parts of the world, the bird is also regarded as pests as they are responsible for destroying rice crops. At the same time, it has been found that the bird is becoming scarce in number in Java.
See more: Lavender Finch