Abstract
Due to taxonomic synonomy, a nomenclatorial mix-up, the Hawaiian rice bird, Munia nisoria (Temminck), a significant rice pest and prohibited species is, in fact, Lonchura punctulata (Linneaus), a relatively common pet shop bird in California, where it is usually called the spice finch. The species consists of 12 recognized subspecies with most of our birds the nominate subspecies from India...