White-necked myna

Photo by Ethan Chan (Flickr)

Common name:
white-necked myna (en); mainá-pescoço-branco (pt); streptocitte à cou blanc (fr); miná cuelliblanco (es); weißhalsatzel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Sturnidae

Range:
This species is endemic to the island of Sulawesi, in Indonesia.

Size:
These birds are about 50 cm long, including the 25-30 cm long tail.

Habitat:
The white-necked myna is mostly found in moist tropical forests, also using swamp forests and moist scrublands.

Diet:
They feed mainly on fruits, but also take some invertebrate and, occasionally, small vertebrates such as lizards.

Breeding:
White-necked mynas are believed to be monogamous and breed in September-November. They are known to nest is holes on dead trees, but there is no further information on the reproduction of this species.

Conservation:
IUCN status – LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is described as common and widespread. The population is suspected to be in decline owing to ongoing habitat destruction and fragmentation.