Scientific Classification
- Common Name
- golden-crested mynah
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Genus Species
- Ampeliceps coronatus (crown)
Fast Facts
- Description
- The golden-crested mynah is a small bird with a bright yellow crest that lays flat against its head. The back and wings are black and they have an orange beak.
- Size
- Approximately 21.59 cm (8.5 in.) in length
- Diet
- Mostly feeds on insects and fruits; sometimes includes small fish, birds and lizards
- Incubation
- 11 to 14 days
- Clutch Size
- 3 to 5 eggs
- Fledging Duration
- Approximately 3 weeks
- Life Span
- 15 to 20 years
- Range
- The golden-crested mynah can be found in Cambodia, China, India, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.
- Habitat
- Tropical regions; found in lowland forests
- Population
- The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be scarce to locally common. The population appears to be decreasing due to habitat destruction and fragmentation
- Status;
- IUCN: Least concern
CITES: Not listed
USFWS: Not listed
Fun Facts
Mynahs are able to learn to mimic human voices or any sounds they choose.
The word "mynah" derives from the Sanskrit "madana" meaning joyful or delightful, which is derived from the root meaning "bubbles." So the derived word "mynah" means "bubbling with joy."
Mynahs prefer to build their nests in holes, tree cavities, but may also use openings in cliff sides, walls, or even rooftops.
Ecology and Conservation
Although starlings and mynah birds, are native to Africa and Southeast Asia, some were intentionally introduced to North America, Hawaii, and Australia to aid in insect control.
Bibliography
Austin, G. Birds of the World. Golden Press, Inc., New York. 1961.
Gotch, A.F. Birds - Their Latin Names Explained. Poole, Dorst: Blandford Press, 1981.
Perrins, C. M. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Birds: The Definitive Reference to Birds of the World. New York: Prentice Hall Press. 1990.
honoluluzoo.org/mynah_bird.htm
mynahbird.com/articles/mynahs/mynahs.html
BirdLife International. 2017. Ampeliceps coronatus (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T22710949A111064635.http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T22710949A111064635.en/. Downloaded on 02 November 2018.
Photo Credit: Golden_crowned_Myna.jpg. Source: Wikimedia Commons. Image by: Charles Lam. Year Created: 17 September 2005. Website: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Golden_crowned_Myna.jpg. License: CC by SA 2.0.
