Brahminy starling
The Brahminy starling, also called the brahminy myna, is a small bird in the starling family. It is pale buff with a black cap and a loose crest. Its bill is yellow with a bluish base, its iris is pale, and there is a bluish patch of skin around the eye. The outer tail feathers are white, and the wing primaries are black. Males have a more prominent crest than females, and juveniles look duller with a browner cap. There are no recognized subspecies.
This bird is found across the Indian subcontinent and Nepal. It stays in Nepal and India, winters in Sri Lanka, and visits the western and northeastern Himalayas in summer. It is also seen in the plains of Pakistan. It likes dry forests, scrub, cultivated land, and places near water, often living close to people.
Calls are musical and long, made up of a series of slurred notes. The Brahminy starling is usually seen in pairs or small flocks on the plains, though it can sometimes be found higher up in the mountains.
Diet wise, it is omnivorous, eating fruits and insects. It sometimes feeds on fruit that is toxic to other animals and may drink nectar from flowers. It forages on the ground with other mynas and can be seen near grazing cattle. They roost in large groups in leafy trees and sometimes share the roost with parakeets.
Nesting happens in tree holes or artificial cavities. The breeding season lasts from March to September, earlier in southern India. The male chooses the nest and often defends it; both parents help build. The nest is lined with grass, feathers, and rags. A typical clutch has 3–4 pale bluish-green eggs. Incubation starts after the second egg; the female sits at night while the male helps during the day. Eggs hatch in 12–14 days, and the young leave the nest after about three weeks. They are fed insects early on and grains later. After feeding, the parents remove fecal pellets far from the nest. Two or three broods may be raised in a year.
The Brahminy starling is currently listed as Least Concern in terms of conservation.
The name pagodarum likely comes from the bird’s association with temple buildings and pagodas in southern India.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 17:52 (CET).