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coastal hill forest index
  On-line Guide to Chek Jawa
coastal hill forest
 
Hill myna
Gracula religiosa
Family Sturnidae 		 
click for enlarged image
 
On the way to Chek Jawa, you will often hear the Hill myna's call. This is typically a piercing 'ti-ong', which gives rise to its Malay name 'burong tiong'. But it has a wide repertoire of calls and it can also mimic other birds.

Hill mynahs have a mainly black plumage that shimmers with tinges of green and violet in the sunlight, a white patch on each wing, and yellow feet. They have fleshy yellow wattles across their necks, red or orange bill and yellow skin areas beneath and behind their eyes. Males and females are very similar in appearance.

Myna Food: Hill mynas eat mostly fruits, foraging for these high in the trees. They are particularly fond of figs. But they also snack on nectar, insects and small lizards. Hill mynas rarely land on the ground and prefer to stay in forested areas. They don't walk, and instead hop along branches.

Mynah Babies: Hill mynas may form monogamous pairs. They usually nest in an existing hole in a tree near the edge of a forest. Often they use a woodpecker's hole or some other tree cavity. Both parents line the hole with twigs, leaves and feathers. The females lays about two blue eggs with brown spots. She does most of the incubating, but both parents feed and raise the chicks. The young fledge in about a month. Hill mynas may nest in groups, each couple spacing out their nests from each other. Outside the breeding season, they may forage in groups.

Role in the habitat: Being fruit eaters, the Hill myna plays a role in seed dispersal and regeneration of the forest.

Human uses: Hill mynas can mimic other birds, and even whistle tunes and imiate humans. This makes them a favourite target for the caged bird trade. In Indonesia, they are called 'Beo' (pronouced 'bay-oh') and are popular cage birds. In India, they were apparently caught for the table and served as curry.

Status and threats: Although common in Singapore in the past, the Hill mynahs are now considered rare residents and are listed as CITES II. Besides Pulau Ubin, these birds are also found in Pulau Tekong Besar, the central catchment forest and the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
quick facts
About 30cm, often heard and sometimes seen in the coastal hill forest
 
Links
Hill Mynah (Gracula religiosa) on the Animal Diversity website of the Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan: fact sheet with links.

Other references
  • Strange, Morten, 2000. A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Malaysia and Singapore. Periplus, Hong Kong. 398 pp.
  • Strange, Morten, 2000. Tropical Birds of Malaysia and Singapore. Periplus Editions, Hong Kong. 64 pp.
  • Strange, Morten & Allan Jeyarajasingam, 1999. A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Sun Tree Publishing Limited, Singapore. 258 pp.
  • Strange, Morten, 1998. Birds of South-East Asia: A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia. New Holland Publishers. 112 pp.
  • Lim, Kim Seng and Dana Gardner, 1997. An Illustrated Field Guide to the Birds of Singapore. Sun Tree Publishing Limited, Singapore. 226 pp.
  • Davidson, G. W. H. & Chew Yen Fook, 1995. A Photographic Guide to Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. New Holland Publishers, UK. 144 pp.
  • Hails, Christopher & Frank Jarvis. 1995 (ed). Birds of Singapore. Times Edition, Singapore. 168 pp.
  • Ng, P. K. L. & Y. C. Wee, 1994. The Singapore Red Data Book: Threatened Plants and Animals of Singapore. The Nature Society (Singapore), Singapore. 343 pp.
  • Briffett, Clive, 1986. A Guide to the Common Birds of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre, Singapore. 160 pp.
  • Madoc, G. C., 1947 (1992 4th ed). An Introduction to Malayan Birds. The Malayan Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur. 227 pp.
  • Bucknill, John A. S. & Chasen, F. N., 1927 (1990 ed.). Birds of Singapore and South-east Asia. Tynron Press, Scotland. 247 pp.
 

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