Sri Lanka hill myna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sri Lanka hill myna |
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| Female above, male below | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Gracula
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| Species: |
ptilogenys
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The Sri Lanka hill myna, also known as the Ceylon myna or Sri Lanka myna, is a special bird. Its scientific name is Gracula ptilogenys. This bird is part of the starling family, and it is a type of myna. You can only find this bird in Sri Lanka, which means it is native to that country.
This amazing bird, which is a passerine (a type of perching bird), usually lives in forests and areas where people grow crops. The Sri Lanka myna builds its nest inside a hole, often in a tree. When it lays eggs, it usually lays two at a time.
Appearance and Features
These birds are about 25 centimeters (10 inches) long. They have shiny black feathers that look green in some light. Their head and neck have a pretty purple shine. When they fly, you can easily see large white patches on their wings. Their strong legs are bright yellow, and they have yellow skin flaps, called wattles, on the back of their neck.
You can tell the Sri Lanka myna apart from another similar bird, the southern hill myna, by its wattles. The wattles on the Sri Lanka myna have a different shape and are in a different spot. Also, its beak is stronger and is orange-red. Both birds live in Sri Lankan forests.
Male and female Sri Lanka mynas look very similar in their feather colors. However, you can tell them apart by looking at their eyes. Females have pale-colored eyes, while males have dark eyes. Young birds have a duller beak and smaller wattles, and their feathers are not as shiny as the adult birds.
Diet and Habits
Like most starlings, the Sri Lanka myna eats many different kinds of food. It is an omnivore, which means it eats both plants and animals. Its diet includes tasty fruit, sweet nectar from flowers, and various insects.
In Sri Lankan Culture
In Sri Lanka, the Myna bird is known by several names in the Sinhala language. Some of these names include Sela lihiniya, Mal kawadiya, and Kampatiya. The name Sela Lihiniya is often mentioned in poems and other old writings because of the bird's beautiful and melodious calls. This bird is so important that it even appears on a 10 rupee Sri Lankan postal stamp. It is also the symbol for the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, which is a television broadcasting company in Sri Lanka.
