The brahminy myna or brahminy starling (''Sturnia pagodarum)''
is a member of the
starling
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. The Sturnidae are named for the genus '' Sturnus'', which in turn comes from the Latin word for starling, ''sturnus''. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, ...
family of
bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
s. It is usually seen in pairs or small flocks in open habitats on the plains of the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
.
Description
![Brahminy starling (Sturnia pagodarum) sub-adult](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/08/Brahminy_starling_%28Sturnia_pagodarum%29_sub-adult.jpg)
This myna is pale buff creamy with a black cap and a loose crest. The bill is yellow with a bluish base. The iris is pale and there is a bluish patch of skin around the eye. The outer tail feathers have white and the black primaries of the wings do not have any white patches. The adult male has a more prominent crest than the female and also has longer neck hackles. Juveniles are duller and the cap is browner.
[
The species name ''pagodarum'' is thought to be based on occurrence of the species on buildings and temple pagodas in southern India.][
]
Distribution and habitat
It is a resident breeder in Nepal
Nepal (; ne, :ne:नेपाल, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in S ...
and India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, a winter visitor to Sri Lanka and a summer visitor in parts of the western and northeastern Himalayas. They are spotted in the plains of Pakistan as well. They have musical call notes that are long, made up of a series of slurred notes that end abruptly.[ Although mainly seen on the plains, there are a few records from above 3,000m, mainly from ]Ladakh
Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu ...
.
This passerine
A passerine () is any bird of the order Passeriformes (; from Latin 'sparrow' and '-shaped'), which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines are distinguished from other orders of birds by th ...
is typically found in dry forest, scrub jungle and cultivation and is often found close to human habitations. They especially favour areas with waterlogged or marshy lands.
Behaviour and ecology
Like most starlings, the brahminy starling is omnivorous, eating fruit and insects. They have been known to feed on the fruits of ''Thevetia peruviana
''Cascabela thevetia'' (syn: ''Thevetia peruviana'') is a poisonous plant native throughout Mexico and in Central America, and cultivated widely as an ornamental. It is a relative of '' Nerium oleander'', giving it a common name yellow oleander, ...
'' which are toxic to many vertebrates. These birds are not as arboreal as the grey-headed myna
The chestnut-tailed starling (''Sturnia malabarica''), also called grey-headed starling and grey-headed myna is a member of the starling family. It is a resident or partially migratory species found in wooded habitats in India and Southeast Asia. ...
s and they form small flocks that mix with other mynas on grass covered ground. They sometimes forage beside grazing cattle. They also visit flowers for nectar, particularly '' Salmalia'', '' Butea monosperma'' and '' Erythrina''. They roost communally in large numbers in leafy trees, often in the company of parakeets and other mynas.
It builds its nest in tree holes or artificial cavities.[ The breeding season is March to September but varies with location, being earlier in southern India. The season coincides with the fruiting of many plants and the young hatch just as the rains begin. The male selects the nest, sometimes having to compete with other hole-nesters such as barbets and sparrows. The male displays by puffing up feathers, fanning the tail, erecting the crest and raising up its bill. Both sexes take part in nest building. The nest is lined with grass, feathers and rags. The normal clutch is three to four eggs which are pale bluish green. The females do not add replacement eggs when eggs are removed nor do they stop laying if an egg is artificially added. Incubation begins only after laying the second egg with the female brooding at night with the male share limited to brief periods during the day. The eggs hatch in about 12 to 14 days. The young fledge and leave the nest when they are three weeks old. The young are fed with insects in the early stages and grains in the later stages. After feeding the parents wait for the young to eject faecal pellets which they carefully remove and drop about away from the nest. Two or three broods may be raised in succession.]
Taxonomy and systematics
The starling genera were found to be polyphyletic
A polyphyletic group is an assemblage of organisms or other evolving elements that is of mixed evolutionary origin. The term is often applied to groups that share similar features known as homoplasies, which are explained as a result of conver ...
on the basis of molecular phylogeny and this has led to changes in the genus placements. This species has been traditionally placed in the genus ''Sturnus'' and ''Temenuchus'', but a 2008 study confidently placed it within the genus ''Sturnia''.[
]
References
External links
Brahminy starling photos, videos & sounds
on the Internet Bird Collection
brahminy starling
brahminy starling
Birds of South Asia
brahminy starling
brahminy starling
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