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Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) Alternate name(s): "Common Mynah", "Indian Myna(h)" Size: 23-26 cm; wing span: 36-43 cm Body mass: 100-120 g (male), 120-138 g (female) Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.31-0.35

Oman: Family Group 26 Family Group 26 Table Crested Lark Marsh Warbler Clamorous Reed Warbler Eastern Olivaceous Warbler Upcher's Warbler Graceful Prinia Streaked Scrub Warbler White-eared Bulbul Yellow-vented Bulbul Red-vented Bulbul Common Myna(h) Thumbnails page Classification table Index of bird names Birds home page

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description The two sexes of Common Mynas look alike. Their plumage stays the same all year round, although it looks fresher and glossier at the start of the breeding season. They have a bare skin patch behind each eye which is orange in the breeding season and paler yellow in eclipse. The irises are blue-grey, with light-grey spots. The straight bill is strong and pointy. It is pale-yellow in eclipse and bright-yellow during the breeding season. The legs and feet are greyish-yellow. Juveniles have bluish-grey skin behind the eyes, rather than yellow.

Taxonomy, classification See Common Myna at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Common Myna is available HERE . Common Mynas occupy a natural range from about the border of Iran with Iraq in the West and Kazakhstan in the North through central Iran and into Afghanistan, Pakistan and the entire Indian subcontinent, including Sri Lanka (from where they originate). Further East they are found in Bangladesh, Myanmar and onward into south-eastern Asia, up to Vietnam in the East and the Philippines and Malaysia in the South. They are an invasive species which has established populations from escapes in other parts of the world, e.g. in eastern Australia, South Africa, Madagascar, Hawaii and a number of other South Pacific island nations. In Arabia, Common Mynas are thought to have been introduced. Apart from Musandam and parts of the UAE and also parts of the North coast of Oman, Common Mynas are only found around major urban centres in Arabia. Common Mynas are very well-adapted to life in close proximity to humans and are found mostly around urban centres. As omnivores they can live in various types of natural habitats, but where possible they will choose the easy option of scavenging food from humans and using man-made structures for nesting.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Common Mynas are one of the most common species of birds around Muscat. They were seen by us in Oman on the Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, on a daily basis in the timeframe August 2009 to May 2010.

Photos

ADULT

BREEDING

PAIR

Lateral view of a couple of Common Mynas near their nest - the bird in the back looks heavier than its mate and is therefore likely the female; note the orange skin patches and the bright-yellow bill
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, February 2010]

Sex unknown

Close-up near-lateral view of a Common Myna shaking out its breeding plumage after preening...
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, February 2010]

... now looking presentable again
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, February 2010]

Dorsal view of a Common Myna carrying in breeding plumage
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, September 2009]

NON-BREEDING

PAIR

Close-up near-frontal view of a pair of Common Mynas in non-breeding plumage; on the bird in front one can clearly see its glossy crown
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, November 2009]

Close-up near-frontal view of a pair of Common Mynas in non-breeding plumage; on the bird in front one can clearly see its glossy crown
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, November 2009]

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of a Common Myna; note the pale skin patch and the dull colours of the bill and of the plumage
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, September 2009]

Lateral view of a Common Myna in non-breeding plumage that has found a morsel on the ground
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, October 2009]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Distant lateral view of a juvenile Common Myna; note the bluish-grey skin behind the eye
[January 2019]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jan - Dec

Eggs: 4 - 6

Incubation period: 17 - 18 days

Fledging age: 22 - 24 days

The breeding season depends on geographical latitude and other climatic factors, but in principle they can breed any time of year.

Nest

Type: Basket/hollow

Material: Twigs, roots, grass, waste

Height above ground: 2 - 20? m

Common Mynas are aggressive against other species, taking nest sites from others, but also "evicting" previously nesting species by removing eggs and/or chicks to take over nests.

Common Myna on its nest in an "avant garde" shelter; the owners of the horn antenna will probably be wondering why they have lost 3 dB gain...
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, February 2010]

Eggs

Size: 31 x 22 mm

Colour: Light turquoise-blue

Shape: Tapered oval

Behaviour

Common Mynas clearly don't like these customers in their territory; they spent quite some effort hustling this rat, until the photographer interfered to get a shot
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, May 2010]

Food, Diet

Common Mynas are one of the bird species that find food in the dung of cattle or horses. They feed on almost anything, including food scraps.

Lateral view of a pair of Common Mynas in breeding plumage having a drink
[Campus of Sultan Qaboos University, near Muscat, November 2009]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

commyna_20210206.m4a	tristis	Contact calls?	© MD
commyna_20180516_2.m4a	tristis	?	© MD
commyna_20180516_3.m4a	tristis	?	© MD
commyna_20180516_4.m4a	tristis	?	© MD

More Common Myna sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.