Resource Database

Origin
Common myna bird, Acridotheres tristis are 9-10.2 in. (23-26 cm) long, weigh from 2.9-5 oz. (82-143 g) and have a wing-span of about 4.7-5.6 in. (120-142 mm). They have a medium to heavy build and a medium brown color. The head, neck and upper breast of the adult is glossy black, while the undertail coverts, tail tip and the outer feathers are white. The white feathers can be seen most clearly when the bird is in flight. The bill, legs and feet are bright yellow. The iris in an adult bird is reddish brown to brownish yellow in color. Male and female A. tristis are not sexually dimorphic.

Life Cycle
The female incubates her eggs for 13-14 days. The fledging period lasts between 20-32 days, about 25 days. Parents continue to feed the chicks for up to three weeks after they have left the nest. Sexual maturity occurs at 9-12 months old. Juveniles may form small flocks and even form mating pairs at as young as nine months old although few pairs actually breed in their first year. Their life span averages about four years old in the wild, but may be as long as 12 years.

Distribution
Acridotheres tristis can be found in urban, suburban and wild habiotats as long as proper vegetation for nesting and insects for food are present. They are insect predators, feeding on ants, spiders, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets and katydids. They are native to Asia and have now spread to South East Asia, New Zealand, Australia and Africa. They are also found on various islands around the world. They are kept as pest in many places.