The Natural History and Captive Care of the Hill Myna (Myna Bird, Indian Hill Myna), Gracula religiosa – Part 2
Fruit comprises a major portion of the myna’s diet, with figs being a particular favorite. Mynas also consume seeds, buds, insects, spiders and other invertebrates, lizards and tree frogs. They will occasionally raid the nests of other birds, taking both eggs and nestlings (a habit that has rendered them unpopular in mixed-species zoo exhibits!).
Reproduction
The myna’s breeding season varies, being timed to weather conditions across its extensive range, but is usually between April and June. Mynas form monogamous pairs, and remain in close contact with their mates even when foraging in large flocks. Like many starlings, mynas nest within tree hollows, usually choosing a site high up and at the edge of a forested area. The cutting of dead trees leads to a shortage of suitable nest sites, and severely impacts myna populations in some areas.
Both sexes build the nest, using twigs, leaves and feathers, and both cooperate in brooding and in feeding the young. Two (occasionally 3) brown-spotted blue eggs are laid. The eggs hatch in 15 days and the young fledge within 1 month. When the weather and food resources cooperate, female mynas may produce 2 or even 3 clutches each year. Pairs are usually territorial, but multiple nests are sometimes built in a single tree – although not been substantiated by field studies, I would imagine this occurs only in habitats with large food resources.
Miscellaneous
The European starling, a close relative of the hill myna, has been widely introduced here and abroad. It usually out-competes native birds, such as woodpeckers, which rely upon tree cavities as nesting sites. The entire North American population (it is likely the USA’s most numerous bird) originated with the release of 100 starlings in NYC’s Central Park in 1890 – part of a misguided effort to establish, in the USA, all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays!
I once became quite familiar with a starling kept in the education room of the American Museum of Natural History (she was “un-stuffed”, in contrast to her neighbors!). She had a repertoire of several words, and imitated dogs and cats as well – all as clearly as any parrot. Injured starlings were often brought to me over the years for rehabilitation – one learned to differentiate a fastened and unfastened cage door lock, and would not bother to attempt an escape when the door was properly secured.
Hill Mynas as Pets
General: Mynas are exceptional mimics, arguably the bird world’s best, and respond well to humans if acquired when young. Individuals with vocabularies of over 100 words are known. They are intelligent, active and curious, and must be kept “busy” if they are to thrive. Pet mynas bond quickly to people, even strangers, if treated kindly but definitely remember mistreatment and may avoid people who “remind” them of frightening incidents.
Space and Other Physical requirements
Mynas are large, active birds and require a good deal of space – something along the lines of a parrot cage such as this cage or larger would be best. An outdoor aviary is ideal, especially for a breeding pair.
Although not quite so fond of toys as are parrots, individual mynas will take quite well to them. Those that encourage the bird to “work” for treats, such as this treat will provide both you and your pet with hours of enjoyment.
Light, Heat, Humidity, etc.
Your myna’s cage should be lit by a bulb specifically designed to provide full spectrum light to birds, such as This or a similar model.
Hill mynas are native to areas of high rainfall and humidity, and appreciate a light misting of warm water as well as a good-sized bathtub. If your home is overly dry, a small humidifier might be needed.
Normal room temperatures suit mynas well, and they are quite cold tolerant if acclimated slowly – in southern England, it is common practice to winter them outdoors in aviaries equipped with small, heated shelters. Indoor cages should not be placed in drafty areas, however.
Feeding
Approximately 60% of your bird’s diet can be made up of commercial myna pellets with the balance being comprised of fresh fruits, including figs, oranges, papayas, apples, plums, grapes and seasonally available varieties. Your bird may also enjoy prepared fruit treats.
Mynas relish insects, but these should not comprise more than 5% of the diet, unless you intend on breeding your birds. A variety of live insects such as crickets, mealworms and wax worms, as well as canned insects marketed for pet reptiles should be offered.
Social Grouping/Compatible Species
Pet mynas are most easily trained when housed alone, but also do well in pairs. They will attack most other birds, even those larger than themselves.
Captive Longevity
Captive longevity exceeds 20 years.
Breeding
Mynas are less easily bred than are other cage birds – I will go into specifics in a future article. A breeding pair should ideally be housed outdoors in a spacious, well-planted aviary, with access to large quantities of live insects.
Miscellaneous
Some years ago I hill myna under my care at the Bronx Zoo learned a number of phrases while in a small cage, recovering from a bad molt. Later, the bird was released into a large walk-through aviary. Unfortunately, the zoo’s director decided to record bird calls in this marvelous mini-jungle, and was quite perturbed to hear, upon playing the tape, the unmistakable voice of the myna crying “Help! Let me out!” The myna in question was moved to the children’s zoo, where he remained a great favorite for many years.
Several related species, including the pagoda myna, Sturnus pagodarum, and the Malabar myna, S. malabaricus, occasionally appear in the trade. I have kept Malabar mynas and found them to be similar to hill mynas in some regards, although not nearly as willing to approach people.
Please write in with your own myna stories and questions. Thanks. Until next time, Frank.
Additional Resources
http://www.cites.org/eng/com/AC/22/E22-10-2-A3.pdf (Status of myna populations and conservation)
http://www.ru.ac.th/mynah/hill%20mynah/success.HTM (Captive reproduction)
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading ...Related Posts:
about 2 years ago
Mynahs are prone to hemochromatosis and should not be given citrus fruits. Acidic foods promote the uptake of iron. There are many other safe fruits available.
about 2 years ago
Hello Allison, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog and for raising this important point.
Unfortunately, hemochromatosis, or iron storage disease, has not been well-studied in captive birds, and is still not completely understood.
Birds absorb iron through the intestinal mucosa (mucus membrane). When sufficient iron has been absorbed to meet metabolic needs, a “mucosal block” signals the cells to stop absorbing iron, whereupon it is then excreted in the feces. In birds afflicted with hemochromatosis, iron absorption is not properly regulated; over time, too much of the mineral is stored in various organs, primarily the liver.
A direct dietary link has not been definitively established, and various experiments have led to some what conflicting results. Birds maintained on fairly low iron diets have come down with the disease…on the other hand, over-supplementation of iron has led to liver lesions indicative of hemochromatosis, but not the disease itself, in other species.
Theories abound, with most centering on a complex interplay of diet, genetics, stress and other factors, with genetics being a particularly promising area for further study. One very interesting school of thought proposes that certain populations of birds living on iron poor diets in the wild may develop unusually effective iron storage abilities (when compared to other populations of the same species). When fed captive diets containing what would otherwise be appropriate iron levels, birds originating from such populations fall ill. This would help explain why mynas and others vary in their iron tolerances. In humans, folic acid and choline deficiencies seem to pre-dispose one to iron storage disease…further research is needed re birds here as well.
As you mention, mynas (along with turacos) are among the species most commonly afflicted with hemochromatosis. At the Bronx Zoo, we also found birds-of-paradise of several species to be extremely prone to the disease.
Citrus fruit can be a potential concern (and a definite concern in birds already diagnosed) because ascorbic acid renders the iron in plant foods more biologically available, and hence easier to store (in general, the iron in animal based foods is readily available for storage, plant-based iron less so). The iron in bananas, raisins and grapes is an exception to this general rule, and seems easily stored by birds…these too should be avoided where appropriate.
Many generations of mynas, birds of paradise and turacos have been bred without incident on diets containing moderate amounts of orange and other citrus fruits. In addition to the aforementioned theories, one possible explanation for this anomaly may be that certain commercial softbill pellets (and, in the past, zoo pellets) contain iron levels that may be borderline-high. Although I have used oranges and other citrus fruits in the diets of these and other species for decades, your point that a wide variety of other fruits are readily available is well taken…certainly one can comprise a healthy diet without the use of oranges.
Those who are unsure may wish to mention the issue to their veterinarians…radiographs and blood tests can indicate liver problems, which may be indicative (but not diagnostic) of hemochromatosis, and can be used to point one towards the best diet for their birds.
Thanks again, I’ll keep an eye open for further research and report back.
Enjoy your birds, Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 2 years ago
well what fruits are safe to feed then i read in books this is good some one else says its bad just be interested i what to feed
about 2 years ago
Hello, Frank Indiviglio here. Thanks for your interest in our blog.
There is a good deal of conflicting information out there, partly because the mechanics of iron storage disease (the main reason why certain fruits should be limited in some situations) are not well-understood. Some mynas, including many I have worked with over the years, have no problems at all when fed modest amounts of citrus, grapes, raisins and bananas, while others become ill (but not necessarily due to the fruit).
As things stand now, it seems that the aforementioned fruits (and large quantities of chop meat) might be linked to iron storage disease in some mynas but not others….however, the disease can occur in birds kept on iron-poor diets as well. Until we learn more, I suggest you limit bananas, raisins, grapes and citrus to 1 small serving weekly, or dispense with them entirely.
Variety is important for mynas. Offer as many other types of fruits as possible, and be sure to rotate them so that the bird does not choose 1 or 2 to the exclusion of the others. In times of limited fruit availability, try using freeze dried foods such as mango, anise, papaya, raspberries and sweet potatoes.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.