Hi Bill,
Sorry for the late reply but I have just
returned from a trip on the Ghan (train) from Adelaide to Darwin and 4 days
trotting around a rather soggy “Top End”.
The White-vented Myna, (aka Javan Myna), Acridotheres javanicus, is endemic to Java
and is introduced to Singapore
and Malaysia,
and appears to be spreading rapidly north to the detriment of the indigenous
Common (Indian) Myna and probably other species. The Jungle Myna, A. fuscus, is widespread in SE Asia,
occurring from Pakistan to
the Malay Peninsula. Both birds are very
closely related but at present are regarded as separate species. I remember
seeing the latter species commonly in Fiji in 1985, also with the Common
Myna. The other common pest species seen regularly in the hotel grounds in Fiji
at the time was the Cane Toad, Bufo marinus.
Cheers,
Mark
From:
Bill & Jenny Handke [
Sent: Sunday, 1 March 2009 6:03 PM
To: ;
'Canberra Birds'
Subject: Re: [chat] INDIAN MYNAS
Mark: is the Javan Myna the same as the Jungle Myna that is
the plague, together with the Indian / Common Myna, across the Pacific
islands?
