Javan Myna

About

The Javan Myna is a medium-sized passerine bird native to Java and Bali, but widely introduced across Southeast Asia and beyond. It is characterized by its glossy black plumage, white wing patches, and a prominent yellow bill and legs. Known for its adaptability, it thrives in urban and agricultural landscapes, often seen foraging in open areas.

Size & lifespan

Length

21-25 cm

Wingspan

35-40 cm

Weight

70-120 g

Lifespan

5-10 years in the wild

Diet

Omnivore

Physical characteristics

Plumage

Adults are predominantly glossy black with a purplish-green sheen, especially on the head and upperparts. The underparts are slightly duller black. A distinctive white patch is visible at the base of the primary flight feathers, particularly prominent in flight. The undertail coverts are white. Some individuals may show a small, erectile crest on the forehead, though this is less pronounced than in some other myna species.

Beak shape

Stout, conical, and sharply pointed. Bright yellow to orange-yellow.

Eye color

Dark brown, often with a yellow orbital ring.

Leg color

Bright yellow to orange-yellow.

Distinguishing features

Glossy black plumage, bright yellow bill and legs, and conspicuous white wing patches visible in flight. The white undertail coverts are also a key feature.

Juvenile appearance

Juveniles are duller and browner than adults, with less glossy plumage. Their bill and legs are typically duller yellow or brownish-yellow, gradually brightening with age.

Seasonal changes

No significant seasonal changes in plumage. The breeding and non-breeding plumages are similar.

Sexual dimorphism

Males and females are generally monomorphic in plumage, with no significant visual differences.

How to identify

1. 1

   Overall Plumage

   Look for the uniform glossy black body plumage. This is the most striking feature distinguishing it from brown-bodied mynas.

2. 2

   Bill and Legs

   Note the bright yellow to orange-yellow bill and legs. This color is consistent in adults.

3. 3

   White Wing Patches

   Observe the prominent white patches at the base of the primary flight feathers, highly visible when the bird is in flight or stretching its wings.

4. 4

   Undertail Coverts

   Check for white undertail coverts, which contrast with the black body and are a key identifier.

5. 5

   Vocalizations

   Listen for its varied and often harsh calls, including chattering, whistles, and mimicry. They are quite noisy birds.

6. 6

   Behavior

   Look for them foraging on the ground in open, disturbed habitats, often in small groups or large flocks, especially in urban and agricultural areas.

Habitat & range

Biomes

Urban areas, suburban gardens, agricultural lands (rice paddies, plantations), open woodlands, grasslands, coastal areas.

Geographic range

Native to Java and Bali, Indonesia. Widely introduced and established in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and parts of India and Australia. In Indonesia, it is found throughout Java, Bali, and has spread to other islands.

Elevation range

Sea level up to approximately 1,500 meters.

Preferred environments

Highly adaptable to human-modified landscapes. Prefers open areas with scattered trees, parks, cultivated fields, and urban centers where food sources are abundant and nesting sites are available in buildings or tree cavities.

Behavior

Activity time

Diurnal, most active during early morning and late afternoon.

Feeding habits

Highly opportunistic omnivores. Diet includes insects (grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars), earthworms, snails, small vertebrates (lizards, geckos), fruits, berries, seeds, nectar, and human food scraps. Often forages on the ground in open areas, lawns, and cultivated fields, sometimes following livestock to catch disturbed insects. Also feeds in trees and shrubs.

Social behavior

Highly social, often seen in pairs or small groups, and forming large communal roosts, sometimes numbering thousands of individuals, particularly outside the breeding season. Can be aggressive towards other bird species, especially around food sources or nesting sites.

Flight pattern

Strong, direct, and somewhat undulating flight with rapid wing beats. Often flies in small to large flocks, especially when commuting to roosts.

Migration pattern

Resident and non-migratory throughout its range. Exhibits local movements for foraging and roosting.

Territoriality

Territorial during the breeding season, defending nesting sites. Outside of breeding, they are less territorial and form large communal roosts.

Breeding & reproduction

Breeding season

Variable across its range, but generally peaks during the wet season or periods of abundant food. In Indonesia, breeding can occur year-round, with peaks often from March to July.

Nesting habits

Nests are typically bulky, untidy structures made of twigs, grass, leaves, and often human debris (plastic, paper). Nests are placed in tree cavities, holes in buildings, under eaves, in dense foliage, or even in artificial structures like streetlights. Both parents participate in nest building.

Clutch size

2-5 eggs, typically 3-4.

Egg description

Eggs are pale blue to greenish-blue, sometimes with faint reddish-brown spots. They are oval-shaped.

Incubation period

13-14 days.

Fledging period

20-24 days after hatching.

Parental care

Both parents share incubation duties and feed the nestlings. Young are fed a diet primarily of insects.

Where to find

Field tips

1. Look in disturbed habitats. Javan Mynas thrive in areas modified by humans. Check parks, gardens, agricultural fields, and urban centers. They are less common in pristine forests.
2. Listen for their calls. Their noisy and varied vocalizations often give away their presence before you see them. Listen for harsh chattering and whistles.
3. Observe foraging behavior. They frequently forage on the ground, walking with a distinctive strut. Look for them pecking at insects or food scraps on lawns and open ground.
4. Check communal roosts at dusk. If you're in an urban area, look for large flocks gathering in prominent trees or buildings just before sunset. This is a great way to see many individuals.
5. Look for white wing patches in flight. When a black bird flies overhead, the bright white patches on the wings are a definitive field mark for the Javan Myna.

Similar species

Quick facts

Native Range:

Java and Bali, Indonesia

Introduced Range:

Widespread across Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong

Diet Type:

Omnivorous, highly opportunistic

Sociality:

Highly social, forms large communal roosts

Key ID Feature:

Glossy black plumage, yellow bill/legs, white wing patches, white undertail coverts

Fun facts

• The Javan Myna is considered an invasive species in many parts of its introduced range due to its adaptability and competitive nature, often outcompeting native birds for resources and nesting sites.
• They are excellent mimics and can incorporate sounds from their environment, including other bird calls and even human speech, into their vocalizations.
• Despite its common name, the Javan Myna is now more abundant in some introduced areas, like Singapore, than in its native Java, where its population has declined due to trapping for the pet trade.
• Javan Mynas often engage in 'anting' behavior, where they rub ants on their feathers, possibly to remove parasites or for the formic acid's fungicidal properties.

Scientific classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Aves

Order

Passeriformes

Family

Sturnidae

Genus

Acridotheres

Species

Acridotheres javanicus

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