Birds · Passeriformes · Sturnidae

Common Hill Myna

Gracula religiosa

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The common hill myna is an iridescent black starling with yellow wattles on the head and a white patch on the wings, famous for being probably the best imitator of the human voice in the entire animal kingdom. It lives in the canopy of the Asian forests and feeds on fruit and nectar. That gift for imitation has led to mass trapping for the cage-bird trade, and several island subspecies are today on the brink of extinction.

Weight

180 g – 260 g

Size

29 cm – 34 cm

Lifespan

25 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

In pairs

Usually lives in pairs, sometimes for life.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

RainforestIslandsOmnivore Diurnal In pairs Bird Rainforest Islands

19countries 18parks6same family

Fun facts

GeneralIt mimics the human voice more accurately than almost any other bird.
It reproduces the human voice with a fidelity of timbre beyond that of any parrot: not only the words, but the particular pitch and intonation of the person it is imitating.
In the wild it does not imitate other species: its wild repertoire consists of its own whistles and squeals, and the imitation of human voices appears to be a by-product of its ability to learn the vocal dialects of its own group.