Javan Myna Acridotheres javanicus Scientific name definitions

21–25 cm; 100 g. A typical blackish myna with prominent frontal crest  and elongated crown feathers. Head is black, forehead, crown and ear-coverts  slightly glossed; upperparts ashy black; wing brownish-black, white bases of primary feathers (least extensive on outermost primary); tail black, rectrices with white tips  (broadest on outer feathers); underparts slaty-coloured, undertail-coverts white; iris pale lemon-yellow; bill and legs orange-yellow. Sexes alike. Juvenile is generally browner than adult, unglossed, with frontal tuft and crown feathers shorter, white bases of primaries and white tips of rectrices narrower, underparts paler, and pale feather margins below may produce streaked effect.

Introduced to Taiwan, SE Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Sumatra, Borneo (Sarawak and Kalimantan), Lesser Sundas and Puerto Rico, and perhaps Japan.

• Jungle x Javan Myna (hybrid) Acridotheres fuscus x javanicus
• Javan x Great Myna (hybrid) Acridotheres javanicus x grandis

Java and Bali.

Cultivated areas and cities; attracted to flooded grassy areas, especially playing fields and airfields.

Resident. Local movements from roost-sites to foraging areas.

Omnivorous; diet includes fruit , nectar, insects and other animal matter , human refuse. Fruits of Compnospermum auriculatum, Endospermum malaccense, figs (Ficus) and cultivated papaya (Carica papaya) and banana (Musa) eaten; ovules from cones of Casuarina and nectar from Erythrina trees also taken. Invertebrate food includes flying ants (Formicidae), termites (Isoptera), fly maggots (Diptera), small crabs (Decapoda), earthworms (Annelida). Human refuse taken from bins or rubbish tips; will feed on carrion from roadkills and on dead animals washed ashore. Captive individuals ingested whole fruits and defecated intact seeds 2–3 hours later, suggesting important role in seed dispersal. Forages primarily on ground , occasionally in trees. In pairs and in small to medium-sized groups; occasionally in larger flocks where food abundant. Large groups assemble in tree roosts, which may be shared with A. tristis, also sometimes with Aplonis panayensis and Agropsar sturninus, although apparently some segregation of species within roost.

Calls very like those of A. tristis, but with practice distinguishable to human ear.

Breeds throughout year in man-modified environments with abundant food; breeding recorded Apr–May and Sept in Java prior to 1940. Monogamous. Nest an untidy structure of grasses and similar material, placed in natural hole in tree (up to 10 m above ground), in crown of palm (nest then a mass of grass and palm fronds) or in base of bird's-nest fern (Asplenum nidus), or in hole in wall, building, bridge or other man-made structure, including lamppost and even a bus in service. Clutch 2–5 eggs, uniform bluish; in captivity, incubation period 13–14 days. No other information for wild-living birds.

Not globally threatened. Common and widespread in natural range. Elsewhere, introduced population in Singapore estimated at 168,000 individuals by 2000, and more than 20,000 in Taiwan in 1999. In Singapore in 1980s, individuals tracked by radio-telemetry used several different night roosts, and ranged over an average area of 3 km²; by 2001 there had been a significant population decline, and both total range and home area were significantly smaller. Considered an invasive alien in Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia. In Singapore initially regarded as a shy species of the suburbs, but now bold and tolerant of people; noise from night roosts is main complaint against the species, with droppings a lesser nuisance, but attempts to scare or displace the birds have had only limited success; canopy density of roosting trees and proximity to feeding areas are most important factors determining roost-sites, and thinning of canopy at existing roosts and control of refuse in vicinity can alleviate the problem.