The Java sparrow (Padda oryzivora) has become a familiar sight throughout much of Hawai‘i in the last 50 years. Though the name might lead you to believe that this bird is the color of espresso or likes coffee beans, “Java” actually refers to its native Indonesia, where it hails from the islands of Java and Bali. Sleek colors and an amiable nature have made it a popular cage bird since the days of the Ming Dynasty. It was one of the most popular avian pets in the US until the early 1970s when importation of the bird was outlawed due to agricultural concerns.

Though common in Hawai‘i since their introduction in the 1960s (although there are rumors that it was introduced on O‘ahu as early as before the 1900s by William Hillebrand), the Java sparrow is actually evaluated as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It has been uplisted from the vulnerable status in 2018. The bird is distinguishable by a black head with white cheek patches, a reddish ring around the eyes, a thick pinkish-red beak, and a smooth blue-gray body.