Java Sparrow: a beauty in peril

Java Sparrow is an endemic bird of Java, Madura and Bali. In the past, this bird can be found in the rice field area in quite a number of groups. But now it is very difficult to find it in the wild. This bird, which has the scientific name Lonchura oryzivora, is characterized by white cheeks, black heads and large red beaks. In the wild, birds belonging to the order Passeriformes can be found in areas near rice fields / farms or grasslands. These grain-eating birds are often grouped and nomadic. In addition to eating seeds, especially rice grains, these birds also eat fruit and insects.

This bird is a monogamous throughout his life. It is very difficult to distinguish between male and female individuals, because of its monomorphic shape. This bird has a fairly high adaptability. Quoted from Mongabay Indonesia, although this bird was originally an endemic species on the islands of Java, Madura and Bali, this bird was found to be found quite a lot in city gardens and community coconut plantations in the Gorontalo region, Sulawesi. On the island of Java, Java Sparrow is found in the area of ​​temples in Yogyakarta and in Central Java. In addition, according to IUCN redlist data (2018), Java Sparrow is also found in several countries as introduced species, namely in Brunei Darussalam, Christmas Island, Fiji, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka, United States (Hawaiian Island).

The ecological status of the Java Sparrow is listed in Appendix 2 of CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora) with an ecological status of endangered. Previously, until 2018, this species was still recorded as a species with a vulnerable ecological status. However, the number which continues to decline dramatically in nature is then deemed necessary to increase the status of this bird to be precarious. Data from the IUCN redlist (2018), the range in number in the natural world is in the range of 1,000-2,499 adult individuals.

The drastic decrease in the amount mainly caused by illegal capture for pets. Its beautiful feather color makes this bird a target for collectors, even overseas. According to data from Burung Indonesia, the peak of large-scale capturing in the wild for sale occurred in the 1960-1970s. In addition, this bird is also considered a pest that eats grains of rice thereby reducing crop yields. Another threat faced by Java Sparrow is habitat loss or habitat fragmentation due to land use change. At present Java Sparrow is a species that is protected by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia through P.20 / MENLHK / SETJEN / KUM.1 / 6/2018 concerning Types of Animals and Plants Protected by Law. We hope that with the protected status of this Law, efforts to preserve Java Sparrow can be more quickly achieved.