Common Myna: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Crows and Clever Birds · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. Its genus name means grasshopper hunter, because it searches the grass for insects, especially grasshoppers.
2. Mynas sleep together in big roosts. Before settling down, they all call at once, a racket known as communal noise.
3. Its nests can hold odd things. Besides twigs and roots, mynas have used tissue paper, tin foil and even shed snakeskin.
4. It tags along with grazing cattle, ready to grab the insects they stir up from the grass.
5. One old Sanskrit name for the myna means one who is fond of arguments, a nod to how quarrelsome it can be.

The quiz

1. What does the myna's genus name Acridotheres mean?

• Sad singer
• Grasshopper hunter (correct)
• Yellow eye
• City bird

It is named for its habit of hunting grasshoppers in the grass.

2. What do mynas do just before sleeping in their roost?

• They bathe in dust
• They fly far out to sea
• They all call at the same time (correct)
• They stay completely silent

They vocalise together, which is called communal noise.

3. Which of these have mynas used to build nests?

• Tin foil (correct)
• Glass
• Seaweed only
• Clay bricks

Nests have included tissue paper, tin foil and shed snakeskin.

4. Why does the common myna follow grazing cattle?

• To ride on their backs to sleep
• To drink their milk
• To nest in their fur
• To catch the insects they disturb (correct)

Cattle stir up insects, which the myna snaps up.

5. What does one Sanskrit name for the myna mean?

• Bringer of rain
• Friend of kings
• One who is fond of arguments (correct)
• Silent watcher

The name kalahapriya refers to the bird's quarrelsome nature.

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