Estrildidae

Under Sibley and Monroe, the Estrildinae (waxbills) are a subfamily of the Passeridae that includes the munias, mannikins, and parrot finches. Other subfamilies within the Passeridae are the Passerinae (sparrows and snowfinches), Motacillinae (wagtails and pipits), Prunellinae (accentors), and Ploceinae (weavers) A number of the Estrildinae are familiar as cage birds. Some exotic species have escaped from captivity to become established in China, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, etc.

1. General names

Chinese:

The Lonchura are known as 文鸟 wén-niǎo, which may be loosely translated as 'culture bird' or 'literature bird'.

Amandava amandava, popular for its red colour, is known as the 梅花雀 méi-huā-què 'plum flower sparrow/finch' or 红花雀 hóng-huā-què 'red flower sparrow/finch'.

The introduced Java sparrow has become widely established in southern China. It is known as the 禾雀 hé-què 'grain sparrow' or 爪哇雀 Zhǎowā què 'Java sparrow'.

Japanese:

A number of Lonchura species have become established in Japan as escaped cage birds. They include the キンパラ kinpara 'golden belly' (written 金腹) and ギンパラ ginpara 'silver belly' (written 銀腹), used for members of Lonchura.

Amandava amandava is known as ベニスズメ beni suzume or 'red sparrow', written 紅雀.

The Java sparrow, established in parts of Japan, is known as the ブンチョウ bun-chō, written 文鳥. (In Chinese this is the name given to the Lonchura).

Vietnamese:

The Vietnamese name for the Lonchura and Erythrura prasina is Di.

Like the Chinese, the Vietnamese know Amandava amandava as the 'plum flower', Mai hoa, using a Chinese loan word. While many Vietnamese birds in the wild do not have Chinese names, the fact that a cage bird does suggests a shared culture in this area.

The Java sparrow is not listed by bird lists, either because it does not occur in Vietnam or because it is not regarded as a native bird.

2. Species names

ESTRILDinae SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH CHINESE JAPANESE VIETNAMESE Latin English Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Japanese Other J Vietnamese Other V Estrilda                 Estrilda troglodytes Black-rumped waxbill 黑腰梅花雀 hēi-yāo méi-huā-què 'black-rumped plum flower finch'     カエデチョウ (紅葉鳥) kaede-chō 'maple-leaf bird' (introduced)       Amandava                 Amandava amandava Estrilda amandava Red avadavat Red munia (Cheng) 红梅花雀 hóng méi-huā-què 'red plum flower finch' or 梅花雀 méi-huā-què 'plum flower finch' (Alternative in 1, 3, 5)   红雀 hóng-què 'red finch' ベニスズメ (紅雀) beni suzume 'red sparrow' (introduced)   Mai hoa 'plum flower'

LONCHURINAE SCIENTIFIC & ENGLISH CHINESE JAPANESE VIETNAMESE Latin English Chinese Chinese (Taiwan) Other Ch Japanese Other J Vietnamese Other V Erythrura                 Erythrura hyperythra Tawny-breasted parrot finch Green-tailed parrot finch 绿尾鹦雀 lǜ-wěi yīng-què 'green-tailed parrot-sparrow/finch'     チャバラセイコウチョウ (茶腹青紅鳥) cha-bara seikō-chō 'brown-bellied blue-red bird'       Erythrura prasina Pin-tailed parrot finch 长尾鹦雀 cháng-wěi yīng-què 'long-tailed parrot-sparrow/finch'     セイコウチョウ (青紅鳥) seikō-chō 'blue-red bird'   Di xanh 'green munia'   Lonchura                 Lonchura malabarica Indian Silverbill White-throated Munia 白喉文鸟 bái-hóu wén-niǎo 'white-throated culture bird' 白喉文鳥 bái-hóu wén-niǎo 'white-throated culture bird' (introduced)   ギンバシ (銀嘴) gin-bashi 'silver-bill'       Lonchura striata White-rumped munia White-backed munia White-rumped mannikin (Cheng) Sharp-tailed munia 白腰文鸟 bái-yāo wén-niǎo 'white-rumped culture bird' 白腰文鳥 bái-yāo wén-niǎo 'white-rumped culture bird' 白胸文鸟 bái-xiōng wén-niǎo 'white-breasted culture bird' 白背文鸟 bái-bèi wén-niǎo 'white-backed culture bird' 尖尾文鸟 jiān-wěi wén-niǎo 'sharp-tailed culture bird' 十姐妹 shí jiě-mèi 'ten sisters' 白胸算命鸟 bǎi-xiōng suàn-mìng niǎo 'white-breasted tell-fortune bird' コシジロキンパラ (腰白金腹) koshi-jiro kinpara 'white-rumped gold belly'   Di cam 'orange munia'   Lonchura leucogastroides Javan Munia Javanese Mannikin 黑喉文鸟 hēi-hóu wén-niǎo 'black-throated culture-bird'     コシグロキンパラ (腰黒金腹) koshi-guro kinpara 'black-rumped gold belly'       Lonchura punctulata Scaly-breasted munia Nutmeg mannikin Spotted mannikin (Cheng) Spotted munia 斑文鸟 bān wén-niǎo 'striped culture-bird' 斑文鳥 bān wén-niǎo 'striped culture-bird' 鳞胸文鸟 lín-xiōng wén-niǎo 'scale-breasted culture-bird' 珍珠鸟 zhēnzhū-niǎo 'pearl bird' 鱼鳞沉香 yú-lín chénxiāng 'fish-scaled chenxiang (type of plant)' 小纺织鸟 xiǎo fǎng-zhī niǎo 'small spinning and weaving bird' 算命鸟 suàn-mìng niǎo 'tell-fortune bird' シマキンパラ (縞金腹) shima kinpara 'striped gold belly' (introduced)   Di đá 'stone munia'   Lonchura leucogastra White-bellied Munia White-breasted Munia White-breasted Mannikin 白胸文鸟 bái-xiōng wén-niǎo 'white-breasted culture bird'     シロハラキンパラ (白腹金腹) shiro-hara kinpara 'white-bellied gold belly'       Lonchura malacca Black-headed munia Indian black-headed munia Chestnut munia Chestnut mannikin (Cheng) 黑头文鸟 hēi-tóu wén-niǎo 'black-headed culture bird' (2, 4) 栗腹文鸟 lì-fù wén-niǎo 'chestnut bellied culture bird' (1, 3, 5) 黑頭文鳥 hēi-tóu wén-niǎo 'black-headed culture bird' ギンパラ (銀腹) ginpara 'silver belly' (introduced) キンパラ (金腹) kinpara 'gold belly' (introduced) Di đầu đen 'black-headed munia'   Lonchura maja White-headed munia Pale-headed mannikin 白头文鸟 bái-tóu wén-niǎo 'white-headed culture bird' 淡头文鸟 dàn-tóu wén-niǎo 'pale-headed culture bird' (5) (introduced)   ヘキチョウ (碧鳥) heki-chō 'blue bird' (introduced)   Di đầu trắng 'white-headed munia' (13) Not found in 12   Lonchura oryzivora Padda oryzivora Java sparrow 禾雀 hé què 'grain sparrow' (1, 2 3, 4) 爪哇禾雀 Zhǎowā hé què 'Java grain sparrow' (5) (introduced) 爪哇雀 Zhǎowā què 'Java sparrow' 爪哇禾雀 Zhǎowā hé què 'Java grain sparrow' 文鸟 wén-niǎo 'literature-bird' 灰文鸟 huī wén-niǎo 'grey literature-bird' 驼色文鸟 tuó-sè wén-niǎo 'camel-coloured literature-bird' (introduced) ブンチョウ (文鳥) bun-chō 'culture bird' (introduced)