The ubiquitous species has been here for generations and is Hawaii’s most easily recognized bird. Introduced in 1865 by Dr. William Hildebrand from India in an attempt to control armyworms in pasturelands, the myna is now common and wildspread in Hawai’i. It is a very social bird, travelling in paisturelands. the myna is now common and widespread in Hawaiii. It is a very social bird, travelling in pairs or small groups. The myna does not hop like cardinals or finches. It prefers to walk or skip instead. Occasionally, they gather in parks by a dozens for posturing exhibitions or what local children describe as “myna bird fights”. The Common Myna is brown and black. White wing patches are conspicuous in flight. The legs, bill, and skin behind the eye are yellow. Mynas build their nests in any covered nook or cranny that will hold large pile of leaves, twigs, paper and other materials such as holes in trees or buildings, air-conditioners, water drainpipes, open-ended steel rafters, narrow ledges, traffic lights, palm trees (Berger 1972). Clutch of 2 to 5 eggs, blue to blue-green. Begin laying in March end in late July. Nestling period about 30 days (Berger 1972) These birds are capable of mimicking human words and are often kept as pets in their native India.
