Common Myna Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesCommon Myna
A medium-sized songbird with a blackish hood, maroon-brown body, and short, white-tipped tail. The stout bill, legs, and bare skin behind the eye are all bright orange-yellow.
© Albin Jacob / Macaulay LibraryAndaman and Nicobar Islands, December 10, 2017In flight from below, note rounded wings with white lining and large white patch in primaries. Note also white tip to black tail.
© Yoav Perlman / Macaulay LibraryYerushalayim, October 18, 2024A medium-sized songbird with a blackish hood, brownish breast, bold white wing patch, stout yellow bill, and bright yellow patch behind the eye.
© Shailee Shah / Macaulay LibraryUttarakhand, February 20, 2015In flight from above, white wing patch contrasts with dark outer wings.
© Rahul Baidya / Macaulay LibraryWest Bengal, July 07, 2024Some individuals have a light-yellow patch on the upper breast.
© Selvaganesh K / Macaulay LibraryTamil Nadu, December 28, 2017A loud, aggressive species, with birds sometimes coming to physical blows.
© Juan Sanabria / Macaulay LibraryBadulla, August 20, 2017Typically lives around people. Native to central and southern Asia but introduced and established in many other parts of the world.
© Terence Alexander / Macaulay LibraryQueensland, October 16, 2017Feeds mainly on the ground, probing the soil and often hopping sideways in pursuit of insects.
© Dave Allen / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, February 06, 2015Feeds largely on the ground, walking and hopping about and using the strong bill to probe for insects.
© Robert Humphries / Macaulay LibraryNorth-West, January 18, 2019Molting individuals frequently have bald patches or a completely featherless head.
© G. Thomas Doerig / Macaulay LibrarySingapore, September 28, 2011Also forages in trees and bushes for fruit and nectar.
© Vidhya Sundar / Macaulay LibraryKarnataka, August 31, 2024Similar SpeciesCrested Myna
Crested Myna, found in southeastern Asia, is blackish overall, with a tuft of feathers at the base of its pale bill. Crested Myna lacks Common Myna’s brownish tones, yellow skin behind the eye, bright yellow bill, and white undertail coverts.
© Neoh Hor Kee / Macaulay LibraryPulau Pinang, September 05, 2017Similar SpeciesCommon Hill Myna
Common Hill Myna, found from eastern India to Indonesia, is glossy black overall, with a large orange bill and yellowish-orange wattles that hang down below and behind the eye.
© Bao Shen Yap / Macaulay LibrarySingapore, May 06, 2023Search species and articles
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