Chestnut-cheeked Starling vs Java Sparrow

Agropsar philippensis compared with Lonchura oryzivora

Key Differences

• Chestnut-cheeked Starling is Least Concern while Java Sparrow is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chestnut-cheeked Starling	Java Sparrow
Kingdom same	Animalia (hewan)	Animalia (hewan)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (burung)	Aves (burung)
Order same	Passeriformes (burung pengicau)	Passeriformes (burung pengicau)
Family	Sturnidae	Estrildidae
Genus	Agropsar	Lonchura
Species	Agropsar philippensis	Lonchura oryzivora

Evolutionary Relationship

Chestnut-cheeked Starling and Java Sparrow share a common ancestor at the Order level: Passeriformes. (burung pengicau)

Conservation Status

Chestnut-cheeked Starling

LC — Least Concern

Java Sparrow

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chestnut-cheeked Starling	Java Sparrow
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chestnut-cheeked Starling

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Taiwan.

Java Sparrow

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 6 distinct biome types spanning the Afrotropic and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Tanzania), Asia (Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam), Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Colombia, Venezuela). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Chestnut-cheeked Starling

The Chestnut-cheeked Starling (Agropsar philippensis) is a species in the genus Agropsar. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Java Sparrow

One of the most popular cage birds in East Asia, Java sparrows are striking finches with grey plumage, a bold black head, distinctive white cheek patches, and a bright red bill. Native to Java and Bali in Indonesia, they have been introduced to many parts of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. They inhabit open grasslands, rice fields, and farmland, often becoming pests on rice crops. Listed as Vulnerable in their native range due to severe trapping pressure for the cage bird trade.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇹🇼 Taiwan