Grey headed myna (Sturnia malabarica) complete detail – updated. Description of Grey headed myna (Sturnia malabarica) Chestnut-tailed starling. Classification of Grey headed myna. Habit and habitat of Grey headed myna. They prefer wooded habitats, light open forests, groves, cultivation areas, and urban gardens.
They also found near human habitation. They feed on various type of insects, figs, fruit, seeds, flower buds, and nectar. The swift, direct flight is typical of the Starling. They fly in tight flocks and often rapidly change directions with great synchrony. Grey headed Myna is a social bird, generally found in small groups………..
Crown, hind neck and sides of face are silver-grey, the feathers elongate and hackled, with pale shafts producing streaking. Wings are grey, with black primary coverts and brown secondaries. Head Silver-grey with streaked appearance. Eyes are grayish white. Under wing coverts are whitish grey. Tail is grey tipped chestnut, the extent of chestnut increasing towards the outer rectrices and the outer feather are entirely chestnut. Bill is yellow/orange at the tip, green in the middle and bluish at the base. Legs are brownish yellow or olive brown. Rump is orange brown. They has four fingers in foot and the color of foot is…………
Nesting and breeding season is between March to July. They builds nest in hole. Nest is a collection of twigs, rootlets and grass placed in a barbet – or woodpecker-hole in the stem of a tree. Eggs 3 to 5, pale blue in color. Both sexes share in building the nest and care of the young, but the female alone is said to incubate.
Click here to view State wise list of Indian state birds (symbols) – updated
Distinctive Identification
Size between 18 cm. to 22 cm. Weigh between 30 to 45 g., with greyish upper parts. Crown, hind neck and sides of face are silver-grey, the feathers elongate and hackled, with pale shafts producing streaking.
Breast, belly and vent are rich cinnamon, and the under tail coverts white. Back and wing coverts are grey, tinged brownish, and the rump orange brown.
Wings are grey, with black primary coverts and brown secondaries. Head Silver-grey with streaked appearance. Eyes are grayish white.
Under wing coverts are whitish grey. Tail is grey tipped chestnut, the extent of chestnut increasing towards the outer rectrices and the outer feather are entirely chestnut.
Bill is yellow/orange at the tip, green in the middle and bluish at the base. Legs are brownish yellow or olive brown. Rump is orange brown. They has four fingers in foot and the color of foot is greyish brown.
Both sexes are similar, but young ones have whitish underparts and just chestnut tips to the tail feathers.
Classification
Common Name – Grey headed myna / Chestnut-tailed starling
Zoological Name – Sturnia malabarica
Kingdom – Animalia
Phylum – Chordata
Class – Aves
Subclass – Neornithes
Order – Passeriformes
Family – Sturnidae
Genus – Sturnia
Conservational Status – Schedule – IV, according to wildlife (Protection) act, 1972 and classified as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.
Distribution
Found throughout India east and south of a line from Mount Abu to Dehra Dun, Assam, and Burma.
Habit and habitat
Grey headed Myna inhabits open, thinly forested country and the neighborhood of forest cultivation. They prefer wooded habitats, light open forests, groves, cultivation areas, and urban gardens. They also found near human habitation.
They feed on various type of insects, figs, fruit, seeds, flower buds, and nectar. The swift, direct flight is typical of the Starling. They fly in tight flocks and often rapidly change directions with great synchrony.
Grey headed Myna is a social bird, generally found in small groups or in pairs. Occasionally found in large groups.
Click here to view State wise list of Indian state animals (symbols) – updated
Nesting and breeding season is between March to July. They builds a nest in hole. Nest is a collection of twigs, rootlets and grass placed in a barbet- or woodpecker-hole in the stem of a tree.
Eggs 3 to 5, pale blue in color. Both sexes share in building the nest and care of the young, but the female alone is said to incubate.
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