The myna is a brown bird.
It has a black head. It has yellow legs. It likes to live near people.
These birds can sing well. Do you like to hear birds sing?
The myna is a brown bird.
It has a black head and yellow legs. It has a yellow patch behind its eye.
This bird eats many things. It eats bugs, seeds, and fruit. It also eats food left by people.
Mynas like to live near towns. They build nests in holes in walls. They even use bits of trash for nests.
These birds are very loud. They can whistle, chirp, and squawk. Some people keep them as pets because they can speak.
They can be a problem for other birds. They sometimes take nests from other birds. This helps them live in new lands.
The common myna is a bird from Asia.
It has a brown body and a black head. You can see a bright yellow patch behind its eye. Its legs and bill are also yellow.
These birds are omnivorous. This means they eat many different things. They eat insects, seeds, and fruit. They even eat food left by people. They are often called "grasshopper hunters." This is because they hunt for insects on the ground.
Mynas are very good at living in cities. They like tall buildings and streets. They build nests in holes in trees or walls. Sometimes they use trash like tin foil for nests.
They can be a problem in new places. This makes them an invasive species. An invasive species is a living thing that moves to a new home and causes trouble. They can take nests from other birds. They even take the eggs of other birds. In Australia, they are called a major pest.
The common myna is a clever bird from Asia.
It has a brown body and a black head. You can see a bright yellow patch behind its eye. Its bill and legs are also bright yellow. These birds are often seen in pairs. They are very good at living near people in cities.
This helps them survive in many different places.
These birds are omnivorous, which means they eat many things. They eat insects, seeds, fruits, and even food left by humans.
They are called "grasshopper hunters" because they find insects on the ground. The name *Acridotheres* actually means this. They use their feet to walk and hop while they look for food. They can even wade in shallow water to catch fish. They are very good at finding snacks anywhere.
Scientists have studied these birds for a long time. In 1760, Mathurin Jacques Brisson described them in a book. He thought they lived in the Philippines. Later, Carl Linnaeus added them to his famous book in 1766. He gave them the name *Paradisea tristis*. The name *tristis* is Latin for "sad" or "gloomy." Later, Louis Pierre Vieillot gave them the genus name *Acridotheres* in 1816.
Common mynas are very successful at spreading. They are native to places like India, China, and Malaysia.
However, they have moved to many other lands. They live in Australia, South Africa, and the United States. In 2000, they were named one of the world's worst invasive species. This means they move to new areas and cause trouble. In Australia, they were even named a major pest in 2008.
Because they live near us, they can be a nuisance. They build nests in holes in trees or even in walls.
Sometimes they use things like tin foil or paper for their nests. They can be very aggressive to other birds. They might even take over a nest that belongs to someone else. In cities, their nests can block gutters and pipes. This can cause water damage to buildings.
The common myna, also known as the Indian myna (Acridotheres tristis), is a highly adaptable bird from the family Sturnidae.
Native to Asia, these birds are omnivorous, meaning they eat a wide variety of foods. They thrive in open woodlands, but they have become especially successful in urban and suburban environments. This ability to live near humans has made them one of the most widespread bird species in the world. However, their success has also made them a major global concern for biodiversity.
To understand how the common myna survives so well, one must look at its feeding and nesting habits. As an omnivore, it eats insects, grubs, seeds, fruits, and even human waste. Its scientific genus name, Acridotheres, translates to "locust hunter," which refers to its habit of foraging for insects on the ground.
When it comes to nesting, the bird is incredibly resourceful and aggressive. It builds nests in tree holes or walls using twigs, roots, and even human rubbish like tin foil or tissue paper. To secure a home, the myna will often evict other birds from their nests. It has even been observed holding the chicks of other species in its beak to clear a nest.
There are two recognized subspecies of the common myna. The first is the Indian myna (A. t. tristis), which is found across a massive range from southern Kazakhstan and Iran to southern China and the Malay Peninsula. This subspecies has also been introduced to North America and Hawai’i. The second is the Sri Lankan myna (A. t. melanosternus). This subspecies is physically distinct from the Indian variety. It is darker in color and possesses a larger yellow cheek-patch. It also features primary coverts that are half-black and half-white.
The history of how we named this bird involves several famous naturalists. In 1760, the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson provided the first description in his work, *Ornithologie*. He mistakenly believed the specimen came from the Philippines and used the name *Merula Philippensis*. Later, in 1766, the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus included the bird in the 12th edition of *Systema Naturae*. Linnaeus gave it the binomial name *Paradisea tristis*. The specific name *tristis* is Latin for "sad" or "gloomy." Finally, in 1816, the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot introduced the genus name *Acridotheres*.
The common myna is now considered one of the world's most significant invasive species. In 2000, the IUCN Species Survival Commission named it one of the "100 of the World's Worst Invasive Species." These are species that pose a direct threat to agriculture, human interests, and biodiversity. The bird's impact is particularly severe in Australia. In a 2008 popular vote, it was named "The Most Important Pest/Problem" in that country. In some urban areas, its population density can grow very quickly. For example, in Canberra, the density rose from 15 birds per square kilometer in 1991 to 75 birds per square kilometer just three years later.
In many places, the bird is viewed as a nuisance due to its behavior in cities. Because they prefer tall structures and little ground cover, they adapt perfectly to streets and buildings. Their nests can block gutters and drainpipes, which leads to water damage on building exteriors. In Australia, they have even earned nicknames like "flying rats" or "the cane toad of the sky." In Singapore, they are known as *gembala kerbau*, which means "buffalo shepherd." This name comes from their tendency to live near humans and compete with other introduced birds like the Javan myna.
Beyond their role as pests, common mynas have complex social lives. They are believed to pair for life and often live in pairs. They also engage in communal roosting, where they sleep together in large groups. These roosts can range from fewer than one hundred birds to several thousand.
Roosting together helps the birds synchronize social activities and avoid predators. Before sleeping, they often participate in "communal noise," where they vocalize in unison. These birds are also highly vocal, using a range of sounds including croaks, whistles, and clicks. This intelligence and social structure contribute to their ability to dominate new environments.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (11)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
🪜 Step back
Simpler topics to build understanding
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.