Close-up of a black tropical bird with a bright orange beak and yellow markings, perched on a branch against a blurred green background.

Hill mynah

Our pair of hill mynahs can be found in the Oriental Garden, next to our Asian short-clawed otter enclosure.

Hill mynahGracula religiosa

  • Class:

    Aves

  • Order:

    Piciformes

  • Family:

    Ramphastidae

About the hill mynah

Hill mynahs come from South and South East Asia, including Myanmar, China, Malaysia and Indonesia, among others. They live in lowland forests, hills and mountains. They are omnivores and eat a diet of fruit, nectar, insects and lizards.

Hill mynahs have jet black feathers, which shimmer green and black in the light. They have bright yellow-orange patches of skin, along with fleshy wattles, on their head. They also have bright yellow beaks and legs.

Conservation

While hill mynahs are classified as Least Concern, they are one of the most popular avian species in the Asian pet trade. This, along with habitat destruction throughout its range, has had a large impact on hill mynah populations. In Bangladesh, for example, the species is almost virtually extinct.

Interesting facts