Starlings · Perching birds
Common Myna
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Acridotheres tristis
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Voice
Call
Alarm
Song
How to recognize it
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23–28 cm, starling-like shape
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Dark brown body, black head and throat
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Bare bright yellow skin around the eye and on the legs
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Large white wing patches obvious in flight
About the species
The Common Myna is hard to miss around people. Its dark body, yellow legs, and bare yellow skin around the eye stand out, and the white wing patches are especially obvious in flight.
It is bold, noisy, and notably territorial during the breeding season, pushing other animals away from feeding and nesting spots. Its voice ranges from croaks and clicks to whistles and squeaks, and while singing it often bobs its head.
It favors open wooded areas, cultivated land, and places close to homes. It eats insects, fruit, and human scraps, and in towns it often nests in cavities and drainpipes. In much of its range it stays year-round, and in parts of South Asia it also moves around in step with insect food.
Where to find
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In mature parks with large deciduous trees, Common Myna often sits high in the canopy and gives itself away with harsh squeaks and clicks.
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Around drainpipes, wall cavities, and under the eaves of old buildings — easy to notice when it slips into a gap carrying twigs or scraps for a nest.
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On lawns, roadside verges, and vacant lots after rain, it walks in short steps, picking insects from the grass.
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By pond edges, canals, and shallow water, it feeds right at the waterline and may wade into puddles when the area is quiet.
