Common Hill Myna

Overview

The common hill myna, Gracula religiosa, is a species of starling native to the hills of South and Southeast Asia. It is a stocky, jet-black bird that is frequently kept as a popular talking bird in aviculture.

Identification

• Stocky body about 29 cm long, covered in green-glossed black plumage with purple tinges on the head and neck.
• Bright orange-yellow patches of naked skin and fleshy wattles on the side of the head and nape.
• Large, white wing patches that are obvious in flight but mostly covered when the bird is sitting.
• Bright yellow bill and strong legs; distinctive wattles extend from the eye to the nape where they join.

Habitat

Found in the lower Himalayas, terai, and foothills up to 2,000 m ASL, with a range extending east through Southeast Asia to southern China and north to the Philippines. The bird is almost entirely arboreal, moving in large, noisy groups in tree-tops at the edge of forests.

Diet

The species is fairly omnivorous, consuming fruit, nectar, and insects. It forages by hopping sideways along branches in the canopy rather than walking on the ground.

Did you know?

The specific name religiosa alludes to the historical practice of teaching these birds to repeat sacred prayers, although in the wild they do not imitate other birds despite being renowned mimics in captivity.