Gracula
Encyclopedia
Gracula is a genus of myna
s, tropical members of the starling
family of bird
s. Until recently only two species were recognised, G. religiosa and G. ptilogenys; earlier still all Gracula were considered to belong to a very variable species commonly called Hill Myna. But three additional subspecies
of G. religiosa are increasingly being considered distinct species
.
This genus has representatives in tropical southern Asia
from India
, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
east to Indonesia
, and the Common Hill Myna, a popular cage bird, has been introduced to the USA.
The hill mynas are resident breeders typically found in forest and cultivation. The nest is built in a hole and the usual clutch is two or three eggs.
These 25–30 cm long birds have glossy black plumage
and large white wing patches which are obvious in flight. The bill and strong legs are bright yellow or orange, and there are yellow wattles on the head, the shape and position of which vary with species. The sexes are similar, but juveniles have a duller bill.
Like most starlings, the hill mynas are fairly omnivorous
, eating fruit
, nectar and insect
s.
of the Common Hill Myna, but today all major authorities recognize them as separate. Comparably, the Enggano, Nias and Southern Hill Mynas have traditionally been treated as subspecies of the Common Hill Myna; a treatment still preferred by some authorities.
Myna
The myna is a bird of the starling family . This is a group of passerine birds which occur naturally only in southern and eastern Asia...
s, tropical members of the starling
Starling
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Sturnidae. The name "Sturnidae" comes from the Latin word for starling, sturnus. Many Asian species, particularly the larger ones, are called mynas, and many African species are known as glossy starlings because of their iridescent...
family of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s. Until recently only two species were recognised, G. religiosa and G. ptilogenys; earlier still all Gracula were considered to belong to a very variable species commonly called Hill Myna. But three additional subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of G. religiosa are increasingly being considered distinct species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.
This genus has representatives in tropical southern Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
east to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and the Common Hill Myna, a popular cage bird, has been introduced to the USA.
The hill mynas are resident breeders typically found in forest and cultivation. The nest is built in a hole and the usual clutch is two or three eggs.
These 25–30 cm long birds have glossy black plumage
Feather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
and large white wing patches which are obvious in flight. The bill and strong legs are bright yellow or orange, and there are yellow wattles on the head, the shape and position of which vary with species. The sexes are similar, but juveniles have a duller bill.
Like most starlings, the hill mynas are fairly omnivorous
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, eating fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
, nectar and insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s.
Species
Traditionally, the Sri Lankan Myna was considered a subspeciesSubspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
of the Common Hill Myna, but today all major authorities recognize them as separate. Comparably, the Enggano, Nias and Southern Hill Mynas have traditionally been treated as subspecies of the Common Hill Myna; a treatment still preferred by some authorities.
- Common Hill Myna, Gracula religiosa
- Southern Hill Myna, Gracula (religiosa) indica
- Enggano MynaEnggano MynaThe Enggano Myna or Enggano Hill Myna is a member of the starling family. It is an endemic resident of Enggano Island, off southwest Sumatra.-Description:...
, Gracula enganensis. - Nias MynaNias MynaThe Nias Myna or Nias Hill Myna is a member of the starling family. It is an endemic resident of Nias and other nearby islands off western Sumatra.-Description:...
, Gracula robusta - Sri Lanka MynaSri Lanka MynaThe Sri Lanka Myna, Ceylon Myna or Sri Lanka Hill Myna , is a myna, a member of the starling family. This bird is endemic to Sri Lanka....
, Gracula ptilogenys