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Ancestor: Passer domesticus (House Sparrow) 

Size: 19 cm
Weight: 50 g

Dietary Needs: Eats a mixed range of invertebrates, fruit and grains. They are an occasional opportunistic consumer of coconut, which is a largely unexploited food source so far. They can't access all of the flesh in a state of freshness unless the nut splits from the fall from the tree, but they can cooperatively work away at the husk and reach the eye of the coconut, which is an entry point to some small morsels. They have a high tolerance to low levels of fermentation, though still may become drunken on old coconut.

Life Cycle: Males turn from grey to white on the forehead and chest as the mating season nears. Males and females have a complex courtship that involves the males picking a nesting site and females selecting their preferred mate after resisting the advances of many other males. Those who don't find a mate remain socially active and helpful to increase their chances of being desirable should one of a pair lose their mate, though tolerance of these individuals by pairs is variable depending on hardship. Mating is usually for life and both parents alternate roles of guardianship and foraging.

Other: They have tough, thick beaks. They are able to pick away at the fibrous husks of coconuts, reaching the eyes of the shell, to peck this weak spot open and drink the water. Freshwater can be difficult to access in their habitat especially bordering deserts during droughts, so thirst can be a powerful motivator for such heavy work. Sparrows that are not exposed to it won't know this behaviour or understand the point of it, let alone know which part of the coconut to work on. Young sparrows learn it by copying adults and partaking in it as a cooperative effort, then being rewarded first-hand. They also learn to avoid fully rancid coconuts this way.

The yellow spot on their back is an indicator of health. Although they are cooperative during good times, they shun and drive away those without the health marker when forced to competition during hard times (even mates and offspring), ensuring that only those with the best chances for survival already are given share of the spoils, because in future they will be the fittest and most able to effectively cooperate again. The yellow colour only appears vibrant if optimum health conditions are maintained.

Their dander is hydrophobic and they shed a lot of it. This keeps rain and wind-carried sea droplets from soaking in. Instead water forms beads and rolls off.