Java sparrow

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Java sparrow

bird

Also known as: Padda oryzivora, ricebird

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

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Also called:: ricebird

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Java sparrow, (Padda oryzivora), bird of the mannikin group in the family Estrildidae (order Passeriformes). One of the best-known cage birds, it is an attractive pet that chirps and trills. Native to Java and Bali, it has become established in the wild elsewhere in Asia as well as in Fiji, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Hawaiian Islands. Also called paddy bird, it may form large flocks that damage grain. It is 14 cm (5.5 inches) long and mostly gray, with pinkish underparts, a large white ear patch, and a stout red bill.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.