View source for Myna

{{short description|Common name for several species of birds}}
{{About|the bird}}
{{About|the Asian bird|the Australian bird|Manorina|the South American bird|Geositta}}
{{Redirect|Myna bird|the bird commonly known as the 'myna bird' in aviculture|Common hill myna|present-day rock band|The Mynabirds}}
{{Redirect|Mynah birds|the 1960s band|The Mynah Birds}}
{{one source|date=June 2011}}
{{Paraphyletic group
| auto = yes
| image = Acridotheres tristis -Sydney, Australia-8.jpg
| image_caption = [[Common myna]] (''Acridotheres tristis'')
| parent = Sturnidae
}}

The '''mynas''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|m|aɪ|n|ə}}; <small>also spelled</small> '''mynah''') are a group of [[bird|birds]] in the [[starling]] [[family (biology)|family]] (Sturnidae). This is a group of [[passerine]] birds which are native to [[Iran]] and [[South Asia|Southern Asia]], especially [[Afghanistan]], [[India]], [[Pakistan]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]] and [[Sri Lanka]]. Several species have been introduced to areas like [[North America]], [[Australia]], [[South Africa]], [[Fiji]] and [[New Zealand]], especially the [[common myna]], which is often regarded as an [[invasive species]]. It is often known as "Selarang" and "Teck Meng" in Malay and Chinese respectively in Singapore, due to their high population there.

Mynas are not a natural group;{{sfn|Zuccon|Cibois|Pasquet|Ericson|2006}} instead, the term ''myna'' is used for any starling in the Indian subcontinent, regardless of their relationships. This range was colonized twice during the [[evolution]] of starlings, first by rather ancestral starlings related to the [[coleto]] and ''[[Aplonis]]'' lineages, and millions of years later by birds related to the [[common starling]] and [[wattled starling]]'s ancestors. These two groups of mynas can be distinguished in the more terrestrial [[adaption]]s of the latter, which usually also have less glossy plumage, except on the heads, and longer tails. The [[Bali myna]], which is critically endangered and nearly [[extinct]] in the wild, is highly distinctive.

Some mynas are considered [[talking bird]]s, for their ability to reproduce sounds, including human speech, when in captivity.

''Myna'' is derived from the [[Urdu language]] {{lang|hi|مینا}} (''mainā'') which itself is derived from [[Sanskrit]] ''madanā''.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url= http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/myna | entry= myna | via= CollinsDictionary.com | title= Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged | edition= 11th | access-date= November 22, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite dictionary | entry= myna | title= New Oxford American Dictionary}}</ref>

==Characteristics==

Mynas are medium-sized passerines with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct, and they are gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country, and they eat [[insect]]s and [[fruit]].
[[File:A Common Myna in Cage.jpg|thumb|A Common Myna in cage]]
[[Feather|Plumage]] is typically dark, often brown, although some species have yellow head ornaments. Most species nest in holes.

Some species have become well known for their imitative skills; the [[common hill myna]] is one of these.

==Species==

The following are species of mynas. The coleto and the two ''Saroglossa'' starlings are included because of their position in the taxonomic list.

===Jungle and hill mynas===

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Yellow-faced myna]], ''Mino dumontii''
* [[Golden myna]], ''Mino anais''
* [[Long-tailed myna]], ''Mino kreffti''
* [[Sulawesi myna]], ''Basilornis celebensis''
* [[Helmeted myna]], ''Basilornis galeatus''
* [[Long-crested myna]], ''Basilornis corythaix''
* [[Apo myna]], ''Goodfellowia miranda''
* [[White-necked myna]], ''Streptocitta albicollis''
* [[Bare-eyed myna]], ''Streptocitta albertinae''
* [[Fiery-browed starling|Fiery-browed myna]], ''Enodes erythrophris''
* [[Grosbeak starling|Finch-billed myna]], ''Scissirostrum dubium''
* [[Golden-crested myna]], ''Ampeliceps coronatus''
* [[Common hill myna]], ''Gracula religiosa''
* [[Southern hill myna]], ''Gracula indica''
* [[Enggano hill myna]], ''Gracula enganensis''
* [[Nias hill myna]], ''Gracula robusta''
* [[Sri Lanka hill myna]], ''Gracula ptilogenys''
{{div col end}}

==="True" mynas===

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Great 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''
* [[Bali myna]], ''Leucopsar rothschildi''
{{div col end}}

==="Gracupica" mynas===

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Indian pied myna]], ''Gracupica contra''
* [[Siamese pied myna]], ''Gracupica floweri''
* [[Javan pied myna]], ''Gracupica jalla''
{{div col end}}

The following species are often included in the ''Acridotheres'' mynas:

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
* [[Vinous-breasted starling]], ''Acridotheres burmannicus''
* [[Black-winged starling]], ''Acridotheres melanopterus''
* [[Red-billed starling]], ''Spodiopsar sericeus''
* [[White-cheeked starling]], ''Spodiopsar cineraceus''
{{div col end}}

{{clear}}

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==Sources==

{{refbegin}}
* {{cite journal
| first1     = Dario
| last1      = Zuccon
| first2     = Alice
| last2      = Cibois
| first3     = Eric
| last3      = Pasquet
| first4     = Per G. P.
| last4      = Ericson
| date       = 2006
| title      = Nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data reveal the major lineages of starlings, mynas and related taxa.
| journal    = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
| volume     = 41
| issue      = 2
| pages      = 333–344
| doi        = 10.1016/j.ympev.2006.05.007
| pmid       = 16806992

| bibcode = 2006MolPE..41..333Z
}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sturnidae}}
* [http://ibc.lynxeds.com/family/starlings-sturnidae Myna videos] on the Internet Bird Collection
* [https://archive.org/details/MeowingMynahBirdInYogya Recording of a Myna bird in Yogyakarta, Indonesia] on [[internet Archive]]

[[Category:Sturnidae]]
[[Category:Bird common names]]