For such a little bird, they have very interesting personalities and can become surprisingly tame and attached to you. I have several Java Sparrows that will fly to me when I call them or spend an hour sitting on my arm while I move my computer's mouse around. They will also snuggle on my shoulders for hours and fall asleep while I watch TV. It does take a little more effort and dedication to tame them than a Budgie or Cockatiel, however.

I have found that there are 2 main methods of taming Java Sparrows. There is a more intensive method, where you employ wing clipping and sort of force the bird to accept you, and a less intensive method that I discovered more recently, which requires that you already have another tame Java Sparrow. In both cases, you will only be successful if you start with a very young bird. The period immediately after the bird has fledged (i.e. is self-feeding) is ideal. As the bird gets older, the chances of taming it become increasingly remote. Adult Java Sparrows are more or less untamable. Lastly, whatever method you use, don’t start taming the bird immediately when you get it home. Give it a couple days to get used to its cage before you start.

The Intensive “Wing Clipping” Method.
There are 4 basic requirements for hand-taming a Java Sparrow with this method. First, of course, the bird must be very young. Second, the bird must be isolated during the taming period. You must place the cage away from all other Java Sparrows and other finches (at least during your taming sessions), for 2 to 4 months until the bird is tame. Third, you must trim the birds' wing feathers so it cannot fly. The feathers will grow back in several months and hopefully your bird will be tame by then. Trim the wing feathers on one or both wings so the bird can still break its fall but not fly away or gain altitude. Fourth, you must be persistent and work with your young Java Sparrow every day (or almost), until it is tame. Java Sparrows are not as easy to tame as birds in the parrot family but, with patience and persistence, they can eventually become surprisingly tame and trusting.

During the taming period, house your Java Sparrow in a small cage such as one used for canaries or budgies. A cage with a removable top or one where the entire front side can open like a big door is ideal. The reason being is that you want to be able to remove your young Java Sparrow easily without having to grab it or chase it around the cage.

Begin taming by bringing your young wing-clipped Java Sparrow to a small room, where you can close the door and have quiet. The bathroom is ideal and the bathtub is a good place to place the cage. Open the cage and gently corner the bird until he has no choice but to hop on your hand. Assuming you have a cage with a top or side that opens, you can easily remove the bird from the cage. In any case, attempt to get the bird out of the cage without grabbing it. You want to avoid chasing the bird around at all costs - that's why the bathtub can be very useful. Every time it jumps off your hand, gently corner it so it has to hop on again. At all times be slow and gentle. It may take a while but eventually your Java Sparrow will get the idea and hop on your finger when you put it in front of its breast.

Once your Java Sparrow will perch on your finger and stay there for a while, see if you can get it to hop from finger to finger or stay on your shoulder. Keep working with it like this every day. As it gets more steady, you can read, watch TV, or work on the computer with the bird on your shoulder or forearm. It will get used to these trips outside of it's cage and will start bonding with you. If you are taming a second young Java (at the under end of the house), this is the point when you can begin to let them see each other. In other words, make your taming sessions the time when they can "visit" and then return them to their separate cages afterwards.

The next stage is when your young Java will actually want to come out of its cage when it sees you. When you see this happening, you have won the battle. Now the only thing to do is to continue your daily taming sessions. Your Java Sparrow will get tamer and tamer and grow to like your company. If you have a favourite spot you would like your Java (or Java's) to perch on while out of the cage, like a parakeet playpen, now is the time to introduce that. Put them on the playpen when they are not sitting on your finger and they will associate it as a "safe spot" to land once they can fly.

Your Java Sparrow will take anywhere from 6 to 12 months to regain all it's flight feathers. By this time, your Java Sparrow should be thoroughly tame and will probably seek your company. However, once he's free flying, he will want to explore a little too. For this reason, only let your bird fly free in a safe, bird-proof room. This way he can spend some time with you and spend some time wandering around safely. If you manage to tame 2 or more Java Sparrows, you will find it interesting to see how they function as a little flock, alternating between hopping around the floor and flying back to sit on your shoulder.
I absolutely do not recommend keeping Java Sparrows permanently wing-clipped. They are very small and vulnerable when they cannot fly and their full personality does not appear until they are free flying. I have a lot of reservations when I see wing-clipped parrots but at least they can get around by climbing. Finches cannot climb with their beaks and so I think keeping a finch wing-clipped for any period longer than necessary for taming is very cruel. If you don’t succeed in taming your Java Sparrow using the above method, definitely give up and let that bird become free-flying again even if it has to them live in a cage all the time.

The Less Intensive “Decoy” Method
This is a newer method I tried more recently. It requires a lot of patience but it is less traumatic on the bird. This method, however, requires that you already have another tame Java Sparrow to act as a “decoy”. As with the more intensive method described above, you must start with a very young Java Sparrow, just out of the nest and still in juvenile plumage. But instead of wing clipping it, you allow the tame bird to teach it that you are “safe”. Here’s how it works:

When you get a new baby Java Sparrow, it will want very much to be with your other Java Sparrow, all the time. If you let them both out, your tame Java Sparrow will fly over to you as usual. The baby will be confused initially – it will want to be with the other one but it will be afraid of you. Rather than chase it around, it’s best of you just do something else – act like you’re not paying attention - watch TV or work on the computer. By being calm, it will eventually land on you – then fly off – then try again and stay longer – then fly off, etc. Over time, it will come to trust you and it will automatically follow the other tame bird whenever it comes to you. After that, as with the more intensive method, it is just a matter of repetition. Do these training sessions every day if you can, until the new bird flies over to you freely.

While the baby is still untamed, how do you get it back in the cage? Calmly bring the cage over, with the door open, and corner it. It will probably hop in. Eventually, it will learn how to fly back in following the tame bird’s example.

Taming Tricks to help your success.
If you can find a cage where the whole front opens like a big door, this is a tremendous advantage because your birds can go in and out much easier, without you having to catch or handle them (which is the last thing you want to do, if you ever want tame Java Sparrows). Another trick is to do your taming sessions in a small room with a closed door so you can minimize any chasing you might have to do to get the bird back in the cage. Lastly, do your taming practice in the evening as you have the option of turning the lights off if necessary, to catch a bird. Also, even tame birds will go back in more readily, if it is near bedtime.

Your own temperament and behavior will greatly affect your success in taming Java Sparrows. Even when tame, they are not like a wing-clipped parrot that you can treat like a puppy or kitten and have stay with you all the time. It’s best to think of them as little “outdoor” bird birds that you have tamed because you move slowly and don’t scare them. It's best to just be patient and let them come to you (and fly away) when they want to. Even after they are tame, never chase them around or scare them in any way. They are actually very smart little birds and will remember any negative experiences.

Also, regardless of how tame and friendly your Java Sparrow becomes, remember that they are still small, delicate birds that retain some of their wild nature. They may never be comfortable with you putting your hands in their cage and they will probably never want to be held in your hand or petted. I will say though, if you follow my instructions, they will bond to you. My Java Sparrows land on my head or sit on my arms for as long as I let them – sometimes to point where I sometimes have to take them off just so I can get up and leave the room.

Lastly, remember, you can only tame a very young Java Sparrow. Many people have written to me about taming their adult Java Sparrow. I can pretty much guarantee you, it will not work. You must start with a baby, just out of the nest. Otherwise, please just enjoy your adult Java Sparrows as a beautiful cage or aviary bird and give up on the idea of taming them.
Behavioural differences between the colour varieties

A question you might have – do the different colour varieties tame or behave differently?
In my own limited experience, I have found that the White and Fawn Java Sparrows seem to tame slightly faster. The original Grey Java Sparrows seem to retain a little more wildness and taming seems to take a little longer. However, once fully tamed, all the colour varieties seem to get to about the same level of tameness. Another observation I have made is that Grey Java Sparrows seem to be a little more aggressive, or at least dominant, once tamed. If you have a tame, mixed colour flock, the Grey will usually be the “leader”. Admittedly, however, I have only hand-tamed about 7 or 8 Java Sparrows so I really need to study this relationship between colour and behaviour more thoroughly!

Summary
Following the above steps, anyone can tame a young Java Sparrow. As long as you don't expect too much, you will be rewarded with a small pet bird that will amuse you with it's personality and might fly over to you and spend an hour snuggling on your shoulder.

You can contact Ron about his article at sparky93@verizon.net

© Ron Simpson 2006