I was interested, during a visit to Honolulu Hawaii, to see these lovely birds right in the middle of a dense urban area.

Java Sparrows are resident breeding birds in parts of Indonesia and are a popular caged bird. Over time, they have been introduced into many countries.

They are about the size of a house sparrow and, like house sparrows, travel in small flocks.

The adult is unmistakable with gray upperparts and breast, pink belly, white-cheeked black head, red eye-ring, pink feet and thick red bill.

DNA suggests that the bird may have originated in India and spread to Africa and Pacific Ocean habitats from there.

The Java Sparrow is a very gregarious bird and feeds mainly on grain and other seeds.

Java Sparrows frequently appear in Japanese paintings and prints.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Java Sparrows were very popular as a caged bird in the US. However due to a perceived threat to agriculture this practice is now banned. The bird is considered to be a serious agricultural pest of rice.

In Asia, as a caged bird, they become very tame and attached to humans. If released from their cages, they will not attempt to escape.

Miles Hearn