Yellow-faced Myna

Alternative names: Orange-faced Grackle; Orange-faced Myna; Papuan Myna

Photo by Don Gato
Indo, New Guinea, Indonesia, October 2006

Mino dumontii

Identification

25cm (9¾ in). A large, short-tailed Myna.

• Much of head unfeathered with large, orange-yellow bare patch around eye and on chin and side of throat
• Black plumage with purple gloss
• White rump and uppertail-coverts
• Black wing with white patch
• Short, black tail
• Lower belly deep golden-yellow, white undertail-coverts
• Orange-yellow bill and legs

Sexes similar. Juveniles have paler facial skin and a paler lower belly.

Photo by mehdhalaouate
Taja, Papua, Indonesia, October 2005

Distribution

Found in New Guinea, West Papuan Islands (Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati), Aru Islands and other offshore islands around New Guinea.
Widespread and common.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.
Sometimes considered conspecific with Long-tailed Myna.

Habitat

Forest and forest edge, also in partly cleared areas. Usually in lowlands and hills, in eastern New Guinea up to 1800m.

Behaviour

Usually seen in pairs, also in small groups and sometimes in larger flocks.

Diet

Feeds mainly on fruit and insects. Often feeding noisily on berries together with Golden Myna.

Breeding

Breeding recorded from August to September and January to April. A monogamous species, possibly forming lifelong pairs. The nest is placed in a tree hole or on a horizontal branch. It's made of dry sticks and twigs. Lays 1 - 2 eggs.

Movements

A resident species.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Yellow-faced Myna. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 20 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Yellow-faced_Myna

External Links

Search for photos of Yellow-faced Myna in the gallery