Common Name: Javan Sparrow Scientific Name: Padda oryzivora
VULNERABLE Javan Sparrow Distribution: South-east Asia, Pacific islands Habitat: Open grassland and fields Length: 17cm Weight: 20g Diet: Omnivorous (seeds and some small invertebrates)
The Javan, or Java, sparrow originated in Java and Bali but has since spread through South-east Asia and the Pacific islands. They mainly eat seeds, including rice, and they are regarded as an agricultural pest. This is made worse by the social nature of the Javan sparrow, as they form large flocks that can devastate a field rapidly. Because they were trapped as pests and also trapped to be sold as pets the number of wild Javan sparrows is decreasing, in Java they are now a protected species. However, they are still a common caged bird and captive bred individuals are available. Their large beaks are an adaptation for handling a variety of large seeds that may have a tough shell. Males sing to attract female attention, but females do not sing at all. Both sexes make clicking sounds with their beaks. They build their nests in trees or buildings, as is common in passerine (perching) birds, out of coarse material. The female will lay up to eight eggs at a time. The hatchlings are cared for by both parents, and do not leave the nest until the are around a month and a half. It takes 6 to 7 months to get full plumage, and their life expectancy is around 9 years.