Java sparrow

6.6

A small bird like a finch with a thick pink beak and black head that lives in rice fields

noun
/ˈdʒɑːvə ˈspɛrəʊ/

: gorrión de Java

You can recognize a Java sparrow by its distinctive pink bill and black head.

Examples

Rice farmers in Indonesia sometimes consider the Java sparrow a pest.
Many bird enthusiasts keep the Java sparrow as a pet for its attractive plumage.
The Java sparrow is known for its distinctive beak.
Many Java sparrows were seen in the rice fields.
Many bird enthusiasts keep the Java sparrow as a pet for its attractive plumage.
You can recognize a Java sparrow by its distinctive pink bill and black head.
Rice farmers in Indonesia sometimes consider the Java sparrow a pest.

Synonyms

Padda oryzivora

vsJava sparrow

Specialized

9.9

A small finch-like bird from Indonesia that lives in rice fields and is called the Java sparrow

is the standard common name rather than that alternate designation

Java finch

vsJava sparrow

7.9

A small bird from Indonesia that lives in rice fields and is often kept as a pet

is used for the wild bird in rice fields rather than its captive form

Surface Forms

Java sparrow singular

Java sparrows plural

Morphology

Java + sparrow

The compound is a straightforward place-name + animal-name formation: 'Java' (the Indonesian island) + 'sparrow' (a small songbird) yields a type of sparrow associated with Java. This is a common, cross-linguistic way to name species, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer it refers to a bird species from Java, even if they might not know precise taxonomic details.

Etymology

The noun Java sparrow comes from the island Java and the bird's sparrow-like look. People called it that because this small bird is common in rice fields on Java and looks like a little sparrow, so the name means 'a small bird from Java'.