Bali Mynah

Bali Mynah

Scientific name: Leucopsar rothschildi
Family: Sturnidae
Order: Passeriformes
Class: Aves

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Bali Mynahs weigh 85-100 grams. A male Bali Mynah is 22.9 cm (9 inches) long and a female is 21.8 cm (8.6 inches) long. The Bali Mynah is nearly all white except for its black wingtips and blue skin patches around the eyes. Its strong bill is bluish-gray and has a dull yellow horn on the tip. They have bluish-gray feet and legs. This species has a sturdy compact body, a round tail, and erect feathers on its forehead. The Bali Mynah is a perching bird. Their feet are suited to hold on to tree branches or any other object that they are on. Their grip will spontaneously tighten if they begin to fall backwards. The females are smaller and they don't have quite as beautiful a crest as the males.

DISTRIBUTION and HABITAT:

The Bali Mynah is the only native bird on Bali. They were formally found on the western third of Bali but they are now found only in the Bali Barat National Park on the western tip of Bali. The best place to see the Bali Mynah is in the Tegal Bunder part of the park because of its different types of habitats like savannas and forests.

BEHAVIOR:

This species is very friendly. When they are not breeding they tend to flock together in groups of 30-60 birds. Once they start to breed, the males become extremely aggressive. When the male Bali Mynah wants to get the attention of their prospective mate they lift their white crest of feathers and do a head-bobbing exhibit. Bali Mynahs allo-preen, clean each other's feathers.

DIET:

Their diet in the wild consists of insects and fruits. In captivity they are fed a similar diet but also may be fed low-iron bird food.

REPRODUCTION and GROWTH:

Breeding occurs during the rainy season from November to April. The Bali Mynah will lay between 2-4 blue-green eggs in tree cavities. The nests consist of small twigs and some grass. The eggs are incubated for 13-16 days by either both sexes or by just the female. When the eggs hatch the young are born without any feathers and they are unable to see because they are born with their eyes closed. While they are young, both parents share the duty of feeding them. After 15-25 days the young start to fledge but they are still fed by their parents for a few more weeks after they start fledging. The young shed their juvenile feathers and get their adult plumage just months after they leave the nest.

CONSERVATION STATUS:

The Bali Mynah is a critically endangered bird because of habitat destruction by timber harvest, illegal cage-bird trade, poaching, and nest site competition with the Black-winged Starling. Right now there are only about 13-14 Bali Mynahs left in the wild. Bali Mynahs are classified under the CITES Appendix I which lists the most critically endangered animals. There are many different conservation efforts to help save these beautiful and clever birds. Some include the creation of the Bali Barat National Park with armed guards that patrol the trails, and captive breeding programs. Bali conservationist are trying to make the people more aware of what is happening to their native birds and to show them ways to help protect their native species. Park officials are placing nest-boxes inside the park so that the Bali Mynahs can use those boxes and not have to compete with the Black-winged Starling for the nests.