Common Myna

The Common Myna is a familiar, highly adaptable songbird native to South and Southeast Asia but now established as one of the world's most widespread introduced birds. It has a chocolate-brown body, a glossy black head and throat, and bright yellow bare skin around the eye, matched by a yellow bill and yellow legs.

In flight it reveals large white wing patches and a white-tipped tail, features that make it easy to identify even at a distance. Confident and conspicuous, it thrives in close association with people, often seen strutting on lawns, roadsides, and outdoor dining areas.

Key field marks

• Chocolate-brown body, glossy black head and throat
• Bright yellow bill, legs, and bare skin patch around the eye
• Bold white wing patches visible in flight, white-tipped tail
• Confident, upright walk on the ground

Similar species

The Jungle Myna is greyer with a tuft of feathers on the forehead and a blue-white eye. The Bank Myna is paler grey-brown with an orange (not yellow) eye patch. The Common Myna's brown body and yellow eye patch combination is distinctive.

Range

Native to South Asia, Afghanistan, and parts of Southeast Asia; widely introduced and now established across Australia, South Africa, the Middle East, and many Pacific and Indian Ocean islands.

Habitat

Highly adaptable, thriving in cities, towns, agricultural land, and open country; strongly associated with human settlement and often uncommon in undisturbed natural habitats.

Migration

Largely resident, with local movements related to food availability rather than long-distance migration.

Behavior

Bold, confident, and highly social, often seen in pairs or small groups foraging on the ground; forms large communal roosts, sometimes numbering thousands of birds, especially in urban trees.

Voice

A varied range of chattering, gurgling, and squawking notes, along with some mimicry; often noisy, especially at communal roosts.

Feeding

An opportunistic omnivore, eating insects, fruit, seeds, small reptiles, and scraps of human food, contributing to its success in urban environments.

Nesting and breeding

Nests in cavities, including tree holes, building crevices, and roof spaces, often competing aggressively with native cavity-nesting species. Lays 4-6 eggs, with both parents caring for the young.