- Scientific Name: Acridotheres tristis (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Polynesian Names: Manu pua’atoro (Société) ; komako ferani, komao, komako haoe (Hiva Oa)
- Order: Passeriformes
- Family: Sturnidae
- Category: Introduced Birds
- Location: Society, Austral, Tuamotu, Marquesas
Apearance and identification
9-10 inches. Male and female identical in appearance. Head, neck and throat black for the adults, brown for the young. The body is brown with the exception of the lower abdomen and the tail end which are white. The wings are black and white but a large oval area, clearly visible in flight, is present under each wing. The eyes, beak and legs are yellow.
Videos
Voice
Characteristics
Native of India. Introduced in French Polynesia from 1920 to 1922 in order to fight against the fire wasp, it preferred orchards. It is now present in almost all the Society Islands and Hiva Oa (Marquesas). It was seen recently in Nuku Hiva where its destruction is attempted. It is present in Hao (Tuamotu Islands) and in Tubuai and Rurutu (Austral Islands).
These birds are paired for life and breed in crevices or holes. Reproduction extends from October to March. The female lays 4-5 eggs (bright blue), 31 x 22 mm it incubates alone for 17 days. Young fly from the age of three weeks.
First colonizes anthropic areas and is found everywhere in the interior and at the bottom of the most remote valleys. Remains rare in the highlands. At night the Common myna congregate in shared dormitories: large trees with sometimes several hundred birds. They then cause serious noise.
Very vocal species, powerful and varied trills, « kaa » ou « kia » repeated several times as an alarm.
Insects, plant debris, seeds, fruits, vegetables, eggs and nestlings.
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Location
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Native of India. Introduced in French Polynesia from 1920 to 1922 in order to fight against the fire wasp, it preferred orchards. It is now present in almost all the Society Islands and Hiva Oa (Marquesas). It was seen recently in Nuku Hiva where its destruction is attempted. It is present in Hao (Tuamotu Islands) and in Tubuai and Rurutu (Austral Islands).
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Breeding
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These birds are paired for life and breed in crevices or holes. Reproduction extends from October to March. The female lays 4-5 eggs (bright blue), 31 x 22 mm it incubates alone for 17 days. Young fly from the age of three weeks.
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Habitat
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First colonizes anthropic areas and is found everywhere in the interior and at the bottom of the most remote valleys. Remains rare in the highlands. At night the Common myna congregate in shared dormitories: large trees with sometimes several hundred birds. They then cause serious noise.
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Voice
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Very vocal species, powerful and varied trills, « kaa » ou « kia » repeated several times as an alarm.
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Food
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Insects, plant debris, seeds, fruits, vegetables, eggs and nestlings.
Status and protection
They compete with native birds for nesting sites and have a nest predation endemic species of French Polynesia (swiftlets, swallows, monarchs …).
The species was classified species threatening biodiversity through territorial regulatory French Polynesia.
It is classified as “Least Concern” (LC) on the IUCN Red List and among the 100 most invasive species on the planet.
Original text by Caroline BLANVILLAIN – Supplements and update by various members of the SOP Manu.