These are small, plump, gregarious passerinebirds. They frequent open grassland and cultivation and feed mainly on grain and other seeds, including rice.
Both species have white-cheeked black heads and thick bills. The sexes are similar, but immature birds have brown upperparts and paler brown underparts and cheeks. The call of both species is a chip, and the song is a raid series of call notes chipchipchipchipchipchip.
Taxonomy
The genus Padda was introduced in 1850 by the German naturalist Ludwig Reichenbach for the Java sparrow.[1][2] The word "Padda" was used as an English name for the Java sparrow by George Edwards in 1743 and may come from the Malay word padi meaning "rice".[3][4]
Java sparrow is a popular cagebird, and has been introduced in a large number of other countries. Both Padda species are threatened by trapping for the cage bird trade.
Many taxonomists now place this genus in Lonchura with the mannikins and munias.