Indian mynas

The Indian myna (Acridotheres tristis) is one of the world’s top 100 invasive species. It poses a serious threat to Australian native animals.

Native to Asia and India, it now lives in a large part of coastal and inland south-eastern Queensland. Left uncontrolled, the Indian myna will decimate local populations of many native animal species.

Appearance

  • Height: around 25 centimetres.
  • Colour: chocolate-brown with black head and neck. Yellow beak, yellow eye patch, yellow feet and legs. White patches on underside of wing, visible when in flight.
  • Mobility: Walks or struts, rather than hops.

It is important not to confuse the Indian myna with the Noisy miner (Manorina malanocephala) - a native honeyeater with a grey body.

Indian myna bird standing on branch. Features are black feathers around face, neck, chest and tail. Bronze to brown feathers on torso. Yellow beak and ring around lower eye and white patches under tail and wings visible from beneath.

Indian myna - an invasive bird species.

Noisy miner

Noisy miner - a native, protected bird.

Why they are a problem

The Indian myna is an intelligent and aggressive bird. It competes with native wildlife for food, habitat and survival. Indian mynas will:

  • evict native animals from nests and nest boxes, including possums, gliders, parrots, lorikeets, rosellas and owls.
  • scavenge and out-compete native wildlife for food
  • eat the eggs and young of native birds
  • spread bird mites and exotic weeds
  • damage fruit, vegetable and cereal crops
  • nest in roofs and make noise at night in communal roosts near housing areas.

How you can help

Controlling Indian mynas takes a community effort. Here’s how you can help:

  • Limit access to food and waste so that Indian mynas can’t scavenge.
  • Landscape your garden with local native plants to give native birds extra habitat.
  • Try not to scare them - they are fast learners and we need their trust to trap them.
  • Install nesting boxes for local wildlife. Use a baffle or a backward-facing entry, so that small gliders, possums, bats and native birds can access the box. This will also stop Indian myna birds entering.
  • Maintain a longer lawn approximately 50 millimetres deep – Indian mynas prefer to feed on a shorter lawn. 

Learn more about trapping in the Indian myna fact sheet - Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (PDF). 

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