# Common Myna (*Acridotheres tristis*)

The common myna (*Acridotheres tristis*) is a bird of the family Sturnidae, in the order Passeriformes.

> The common myna (Acridotheres tristis) is a brown starling with a black head and bright yellow bill, eye-skin and legs. Native to South Asia, it has been introduced to Australia, South Africa, Pacific islands and many other places, where it competes with native birds for nest holes. BirdLife estimates about 200 million mature birds and lists it as Least Concern.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN-style):** Least Concern
- **Range:** South and Central Asia from Iran and Kazakhstan to India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Introduced to Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hawaii, Florida and many islands.
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/common-myna/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Passeriformes
- **Family:** Sturnidae
- **Genus:** Acridotheres

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Acridotheres tristis |
| Other name | Indian myna |
| Diet | Omnivore: insects, fruit, grain and food scraps |
| Habitat | Towns, villages, farmland and open woodland |
| Length | 23–26 cm |
| Weight | 82–143 g |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2025) |

## Identification

Common mynas are chocolate-brown with a glossy black head, a yellow bill, a patch of bare yellow skin behind the eye and yellow legs. Large white wing patches flash in flight. They walk rather than hop and are noisy, with a wide range of chattering and whistling calls.

## City birds

In its native range from Iran and Central Asia to India and Myanmar, the myna lives alongside people, feeding on lawns, in markets and around farms and roosting in large, noisy flocks at night.

## An invasive species

Mynas were introduced to control insects or as cage birds in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Hawaii, Florida and many islands. They compete with native birds for nest holes and can raid other birds' nests. The species appears on the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group's list of 100 of the world's worst invasive alien species.

## Status

BirdLife International lists the common myna as Least Concern (2025), estimating about 200 million mature birds, although it reports the overall trend as decreasing. Animal Diversity Web gives an average life expectancy of about 4 years.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is the common myna invasive?

Yes, outside South Asia. It has been introduced to many countries and is listed among 100 of the world's worst invasive alien species.

### Can common mynas talk?

They are good mimics. Captive mynas can learn some words, although the hill myna is the species best known for speech.

### Where is the common myna native?

From Iran and Central Asia through Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka to Myanmar.

### How long do common mynas live?

Animal Diversity Web reports an average life expectancy of about 4 years.

## Sources

- [BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: Common Myna Acridotheres tristis. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/common-myna-acridotheres-tristis)
- [Animal Diversity Web: Acridotheres tristis. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Acridotheres_tristis/)
- Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898
- [Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/)

## Help protect the Common Myna

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/common-myna/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.