Acridotheres tristis
In 3 days >90%
The common myna or Indian myna (Acridotheres tristis), sometimes spelled mynah, is a bird in the family Sturnidae, native to Asia. An omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the common myna has adapted extremely well to urban environments.
The range of the common myna is increasing at such a rapid rate that in 2000 the IUCN Species Survival Commission declared it one of the world's most invasive species and one of only three birds listed among "100 of the World's Worst Invasive Species" that pose a threat to biodiversity, agriculture and human interests. In particular, the species poses a serious threat to the ecosystems of Australia, where it was named "The Most Important Pest/Problem" in 2008.
In 1760, the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the common myna in his Ornithologie, based on a specimen that he mistakenly believed had been collected in the Philippines. He used the French name Le merle des Philippines and the Latin Merula Philippensis. Although Brisson coined Latin names, they do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.
When...
Very likely
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Common Mynah sighting in Yala National Park on a given day, based on 721 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 11th most-seen of the 228 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January and April–June
In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Common Mynah in Yala National Park on a given day, against about 60% in July and October, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Mynah sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 32
Of the 32 parks where we can rate Common Mynah sightings, Yala National Park ranks 2nd at about 70%. The best odds are in Udawalawe National Park (Sri Lanka, about 80%). All parks ranked.
Same family: Sturnidae
The closest relatives of the Common Mynah that you can see in Yala National Park (family Sturnidae, Starlings) are Brahminy Starling (about 20%) and Rosy Starling (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Mynah is recorded against all the birds logged in Yala National Park (721 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
