Birds Guide

Acridotheres
Common Myna
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia   Phylum: Chordata   Class: Aves   Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae   Genus: Acridotheres Vieillot, 1816
Species
A. grandis A. cristatellus A. javanicus A. cinereus A. fuscus A. albocinctus A. ginginianus A. tristis

Acridotheres is a genus of mynas, tropical members of the starling family of birds. This genus has representatives in tropical southern Asia from Iran east to southern China and Indonesia.

The following is the list of Acridotheres species in taxonomic order.:

• 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

The taxonomy of this group is complex, and other authorities differ considerably in which species they place in this genus, and the species boundaries within Acridotheres.

Two species have been introduced widely elsewhere. The Common Myna ihas been introduced to South Africa, Israel, Hawaii, North America, Australia and New Zealand, and the Crested Myna to the Vancouver region of British Columbia.

The Acridotheres mynas resemble Gracula species in their dark plumage, large white or buff wing patches (which are obvious in flight), and fluted calls, but differ in that only the head pluamge is glossy, and the underparts tend to be paler. The sexes are similar.

Acridotheres mynas are much more terrestrial. They walk rather than hop, and have modifications to the skull and its muscles for open bill probing.

They have bowing courtship displays, whereas Gracula has no visual display, and they lay unmarked pale blue eggs.

Several species have frontal crests which become covered with pollen when the birds take nectar from flowers, and may play a role in pollination.

Like most starlings, the Acridotheres mynas are fairly omnivorous, eating fruit, nectar and insects.

References

• Birds of India by Grimmett, Inskipp and Inskipp, ISBN 0-691-04910-6
• Starlings and Mynas by Freare and Craig, ISBN 0-7136-3961-X