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| Myna | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Common myna (Acridotheres tristis) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Suborder: | Passeri |
| Family: | Sturnidae |
Themynas (/ˈmaɪnə/;also spelledmynah) are a group ofbirds in thestarlingfamily (Sturnidae). This is a group ofpasserine birds which are native toIran andSouthern Asia, especiallyAfghanistan,India,Pakistan,Bangladesh,Nepal andSri Lanka. Several species have been introduced to areas likeNorth America,Australia,South Africa,Fiji andNew Zealand, especially thecommon myna, which is often regarded as aninvasive 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;[1] instead, the termmyna is used for any starling in the Indian subcontinent, regardless of their relationships. This range was colonized twice during theevolution of starlings, first by rather ancestral starlings related to thecoleto andAplonis lineages, and millions of years later by birds related to thecommon starling andwattled starling's ancestors. These two groups of mynas can be distinguished in the more terrestrialadaptions of the latter, which usually also have less glossy plumage, except on the heads, and longer tails. TheBali myna, which is critically endangered and nearlyextinct in the wild, is highly distinctive.
Some mynas are consideredtalking birds, for their ability to reproduce sounds, including human speech, when in captivity.
Myna is derived from the Hindi/Urdu (मैना /مینا)mainā which itself is derived fromSanskritmadanā.[2][3]
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 eatinsects andfruit.
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; thecommon hill myna is one of these.
The following are species of mynas. The coleto and the twoSaroglossa starlings are included because of their position in the taxonomic list.
The following species are often included in theAcridotheres mynas:
