sparrow 1

October 24 may be seven days before Halloween to most people, but for those in Japan with a Java sparrow (called buncho in Japanese), it’s the day to celebrate your cute little buddy.

Last year the hashtag #文鳥の日2014 (#buncho no hi 2014) was trending and owners all over the country shared pictures of their pet birds. Luckily, this year we were treated to even more pictures of Java sparrows as proud owners wanted to share their joy with the Twitterverse.

Enjoy the best selection of these adorable little guys, after the jump.

Buncho no Hi (Java Sparrow Day) is celebrated on October 24 for two reasons: October is usually the month the birds are available in Japanese pet stores and the date is a play on words of “te (for ‘ten’) ni (for ‘two’) shi (for ‘four’) awase” or “happiness in your hands”. We have to say, having any of these precious feathered friends in our hands would make us pretty happy too!

Java sparrows are very popular domesticated birds because they are quite tame and become attached to humans, especially if they were raised from a young age.They can be kept in relatively small cages and when let out for playtime, most people don’t have to worry about them flying away because they love their owners so much!

Not only do they look adorable in photos, they also make great coin purse motifs.

Even Natsume Soseki, the illustrious writer of the Meiji-era, wrote an essay about his Java sparrow.

If you love birds, the Java sparrow sounds like the perfect pet! Unfortunately for bird fans in the U.S., it is illegal in some states to own a Java sparrow, but if you are in Asia, you should still be able to pick up your new best friend at a pet store before the month ends. Just be sure to take good care of it and practice posing with your little birdie so that you can celebrate Java sparrow Day with everyone else next October 24.

Source: Togech
Top Image: Twitter/@nobunnolife