Common mynas (Acridotheres tristis), often called Indian mynas, are native to Asia and were introduced to Honolulu in 1879. These members of the starling family are prized for their uncanny ability to mimic human speech. Males and females talk equally well. Visible differences between the sexes are subtle and few.
Taking a Guess
Common myna bird males and females look alike. They have no external features that distinguish gender. Adult males are slightly larger, and their wattles, or skin flaps on their necks, are a bit longer. Males typically are bolder. The distance between the pelvic bones is wider in adult males than in females -- not that you could tell that from casual observation. Juvenile males and females are identical in appearance.
If Gender Matters
The only surefire ways to determine whether a common myna is male or female are surgical sexing procedures or DNA sexing sourced from feathers, blood or eggshells.
References
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Mynah Birds -- General
- Rehabbers Den: Hand-Raising and Rehabilitation of Mynas
- Avian Biotech: Avian Sexing Center -- Discover How Easy It Is to Accurately Determine the Sex of Your Bird
- Arkive: Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)
- Explore Biodiversity: Common Birds of Honolulu -- Common Myna (Acridotheres Tristis)
- Kauai Birds: The Birds -- Introduced Birds: Common Myna
Resources
Photo Credits
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Anup Shah/Photodisc/Getty Images
Writer Bio
A full-time writer since 2007, Axl J. Amistaadt is a DMS 2013 Outstanding Contributor Award recipient. He publishes online articles with major focus on pets, wildlife, gardening and fitness. He also covers parenting, juvenile science experiments, cooking and alternative/home remedies. Amistaadt has written book reviews for Work At Home Truth.
