Common myna

A native of South Asia, the common myna was introduced in the 1870s and is now very widespread in the upper North Island, including off shore islands, inhabiting open country, orchards, suburban gardens, parks, rubbish tips and forest edges. They roost communally, in some cases over 1000 birds.

The common myna is cinnamon brown with a glossy black head and neck, white patches on the wings and undertail, and white tail tips. The legs and bill are yellow, as is the bare patch of skin near the eye. The call is jangling with a rapid medley of raucous gurgling chattering and bell-like notes.

Breeding takes place between October and March and usually two broods a year are raised. The bulky nest is usually built in the hole of a tree, cliff or building, and often includes material such as paper and plastic as well as twigs, grass and leave. The clutch of 3–4 greenish-blue eggs is incubated mainly by the female for 14 days. The chicks are fed by both parents for 20–32 days and for about three weeks after fledging.

Their diet is very varied, and includes invertebrates and fruit, eggs, chicks and lizards, grain and food scraps from rubbish tips. They are often seen along roads, where they forage on road-kill invertebrates. Occasionally they inflict damage to grape and orchard fruit crops.

They are widely regarded as unwelcome pests for environmental as well as economic reasons, not only because they prey on eggs, chicks and lizards, but because they are aggressive towards other species nesting in their territories.

On Tiritiri Matangi, mynas are unwelcome but well-established. They often nest in saddleback nestboxes and have been known to evict the resident saddlebacks. 

Learn more about the common myna at New Zealand Birds Online.




Photography by: Max McRae ©

References: Heather, B.D.; Robertson, H.A. 2000 The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand. Auckland, Viking.  Moon, G The Reed Field Guide to New Zealand Birds.