the bali myna is a small, crested member of the starling family, endemic to bali. the bali myna is critically endangered – it is estimated there are less than 100 left in the wild. there have been attempts to reintroduce birds to the wild, but the mynas fetch high prices in captivity, and they are usually poached.
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todays bird is this common myna!
For some reason a bird speaking Japanese is mildly off putting.
> Literal translation
Bird:” ‘Uhm Hello, this is the Ono family.”
Bird: “What’s wrong?”
Owner: “Abe-chan, you’re a little too early. Once the phone’s picked up, then properly say hello.”
Bird: “Okay, understood.”
Owner: “Do you really understand? I’m counting on you. Hello, this is the Ono family residence in Gifu.”]
Bird: “Okay, I understand!”
Owner: “Got it.”
> That’s clearly some sort of Pokemon.
> Off-putting? It’s like birds were meant to speak Japanese!
> For some reason it’s never occurred to me that birds can mimic languages other than English. It’s so cool, though!
this is the common hill myna!
(image from orientalbirdimages.org)
they’re more often just called “myna” or “mynah” in aviculture. there are other myna species which are capable of talking, but this is the most common in aviculture and it’s generally agreed upon that they are the best talkers.
mynas are a part of the starling family, but manage a much better reputation than starlings, which are typically regarded as loud and obnoxious. unfortunately, mynas have come under some pressure from poachers. their loud calls are easily recognizable, so some of them are stolen from the wild for the pet trade, despite new laws making it harder to illegally export wild-caught birds.
today's bird 