Common Myna

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The Common Myna, Acridotheres tristis, is a myna, a member of the starling family. This bird is a common resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from Afghanistan to India and Sri Lanka. It is also known as the Indian Myna or Talking Myna for its ability to mimic human speech.

It has extended its range into southeast Asia, and has been introduced widely elsewhere, including South Africa, Israel, Hawaii, North America (especially in southern Florida area), Australia (where it is considered to be one of the most invasive pests and voted one of the most unpopular [link]) and New Zealand.

This abundant passerine is typically found in open woodland, cultivation and around habitation. The Common Myna builds a nest in hole in a tree or wall. The normal clutch is 4-6 eggs. They are popular as cage birds for their singing and "speaking" abilities.

These 25 cm long birds have brown body and wing plumage, with large white wing patches obvious in flight. The head and throat are dark grey. The bill, bare skin around the eyes and strong legs are bright yellow. The sexes are similar. Mynas mate for life. Like most starlings, the Common Myna is omnivorous. They feed on insects, fruits and live in the company of humans picking food from households. They forage on the ground among grass for insects and especially for grasshoppers from which they get their genus name of Acridotheres which means "grasshopper hunter". They walk with occasional hops on the ground. Their songs include croaks, squawks, chirps, clicks and whistles and they often fluff their feathers and bob their heads in singing. They screech warnings to their mates or other birds in cases of predators in proximity.

Image:Comm_Myna.jpg|A close up image of the Common Myna, nesting. Image:CommonMyna.jpg|Common Myna. Seen on an African Tulip tree. Image:Acridotheres tristis (Mynah in Melbourne).jpg|A mynah bird in a Melbourne park.

References

• BirdLife International (2004). [Acridotheres tristis]. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
• Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6

External links

• [Common Myna videos] on the Internet Bird Collection

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