myna or mynah, common name for a type of Asian starling found chiefly in India and Sri Lanka and known for its power of mimicry. Most familiar is the hill myna, Gracula religiosa, a large (12-15 in./30-38 cm), glossy black bird with yellow head wattles. It is a forest dweller and lives mostly on fruits. In the wild state its calls vary from low chuckles to loud whistles; when trained it is a better mimic than the parrot. The common myna of S Asia, genus Acridotheres, is smaller (10 in./25 cm) and not so good a mimic. The Papuan myna is found on the islands of the S Pacific. Some species, such as the Buli mynah, are highly endangered. Mynas are classified in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Aves, order Passeriformes, family Sturnidae.

or myna

Any of several Asian songbird species of the starling family (Sturnidae). The hill mynah (Gracula religiosa) of southern Asia, called the grackle in India, is about 10 in. (25 cm) long and glossy black with white wing patches, yellow wattles, and orange bill and legs. In the wild, it chuckles and shrieks; caged, it learns to imitate human speech far better than its chief rival, the gray parrot. The common, or Indian, mynah (Acridotheres tristis) was introduced into Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. The crested mynah (A. cristatellus), native to China and Indonesia, was introduced into British Columbia, Canada, but has not spread.

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Distinguish from miner and minor.

The mynas (also spelt mynahs) are birds of the starling family (Sturnidae). This is a group of passerine birds which occur naturally only in southern and eastern Asia. Several species have been introduced to areas like North America, Australia and New Zealand, especially the Common Myna which is often regarded as an invasive species.

Mynas are not a natural group (Zuccon et al. 2006); instead, they are a term used for any starling in India and surrounding areas, regardless of their relationships. This range was colonized twice during the evolution of starlings, first by rather ancestral starlings related to the Coleto and Aplonis lineages, and millions of years later by birds related to the Common Starling and Wattled Starling's ancestors. These two groups of mynas can be distinguished in the more terrestrial adaptions of the latter, which usually also have less glossy plumage except on the heads and longer tails. The Bali Myna which is nearly extinct in the wild is highly distinctive. This species has shown signs of making a startling comeback in population.

Characteristics

Mynas are medium-sized passerines with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct, and they are gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country, and they eat insects and fruit. Several species live around habitation, and are effectively omnivores.

Plumage is typically dark, often brown, although some species have yellow head ornaments. Most species nest in holes.

Some species have become well-known for their imitative skills.

Species

The following are species of Mynas. The Coleto and the two Saroglossa starlings are included because of their position in the taxonomic list.

Jungle and hill mynas

• Yellow-faced Myna, Mino dumontii
• Golden Myna, Mino anais
• Long-tailed Myna, Mino kreffti
• Sulawesi Myna, Basilornis celebensis
• Helmeted Myna, Basilornis galeatus
• Long-crested Myna, Basilornis corythaix
• Apo Myna, Basilornis miranda
• White-necked Myna, Streptocitta albicollis
• Bare-eyed Myna, Streptocitta albertinae
• Fiery-browed Myna, Enodes erythrophris
• Finch-billed Myna, Scissirostrum dubium
• Golden-crested Myna, Ampeliceps coronatus
• Hill Myna, Gracula religiosa
• Southern Hill Myna, Gracula indica
• Enggano Myna, Gracula enganensis
• Nias Myna, Gracula robusta
• Sri Lanka Myna, Gracula ptilogenys

"True" mynas

• White-vented Myna, Acridotheres grandis
• Crested Myna, Acridotheres cristatellus
• Javan Myna, Acridotheres javanicus
• Pale-bellied Myna, Acridotheres cinereus
• Jungle Myna, Acridotheres fuscus
• Collared Myna, Acridotheres albocinctus
• Bank Myna, Acridotheres ginginianus
• Common Myna, Acridotheres tristis
• Bali Myna, Leucopsar rothschildi

The following species are often included in the Acridotheres mynas:

• Vinous-breasted Starling, Acridotheres burmannicus
• Asian Pied Starling, Sturnus contra
• Black-winged Starling, Sturnus melanopterus
• Red-billed Starling, Sturnus sericeus
• White-cheeked Starling, Sturnus cineraceus

References

• (2006): Nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data reveal the major lineages of starlings, mynas and related taxa. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 41(2): 333-344. (HTML abstract)

External links

• Myna videos on the Internet Bird Collection