Acridotheres cristatellus
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
The crested myna (Acridotheres cristatellus), also known as the Chinese starling, is a species of starling in the genus Acridotheres native to southeastern China and Indochina. It is named after the tuft of feathers on its forehead that resembles a crest.
The crested myna is typically found in open spaces near urban and agricultural areas. It is a popular cage bird and, as a result, has been accidentally released in a few places outside of its usual range. For example, this species was introduced around 1890 into the Vancouver region of British Columbia. It was initially successful, reaching a population in the thousands, however, it has since then gone locally extinct in the area.
Like many starlings, the crested myna is omnivorous. It will eat a variety of food including worms, grubs, grains, fruit, and even garbage. It is a highly beneficial bird to farmers, as it feeds on insects and does not attack crops.
In 1743 the English naturalist George Edwards included a picture and a description of the crested myna in his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. He used the English name "Chinese starling or Black Bird". When in 1758 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sepilok | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 2 | Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suzhou | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 2 | Nanchang | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 3 | Tuen Mun | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 4 | Xiuying District | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 5 | Quanzhou | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 6 | Xiamen City | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 7 | Guangzhou | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 8 | Wuhan | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 9 | Cebu City | 🇵🇭 Philippines | |
| 10 | Shanghai | 🇨🇳 China |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prague Zoo | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 2 | Walsrode World Bird Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Beijing Wildlife Park | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 4 | Taipei Zoo | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 5 | Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | |
| 6 | Shanghai Zoo | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 7 | Fonghuanggu Bird and Ecology Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 8 | Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife Center | 🇵🇭 Philippines | |
| 9 | Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 10 | Santillana Zoo | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 11 | Selwo Marina | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 12 | Edward Youde Aviary | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong SAR China | |
| 13 | Rákosův pavilon | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 14 | Velemlokárium | 🇨🇿 Czechia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Crested Myna sighting in Kunming on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 49th most-seen of the 99 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August and October–November
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Crested Myna in Kunming on a given day, against under 5% in January and February, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Crested Myna sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
32nd of 46
Of the 46 cities where we can rate Crested Myna sightings, Kunming ranks 32nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Suzhou (China, about 80%), Nanchang (China, about 80%) and Tuen Mun (China, about 60%).
Same family: Sturnidae
The closest relatives of the Crested Myna that you can see in Kunming (family Sturnidae, Starlings) are Red-billed Starling (about 20%), White-cheeked Starling (about 20%) and Black-collared Starling (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Crested Myna is recorded against all the birds logged in Kunming (16 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
