Source: Wikimedia Commons
Crested Myna
IntermediateAcridotheres cristatellus
A starling 26 to 27 cm long, wholly black with large white wing patches that show clearly in flight. A tuft of feathers projecting forward at the base of the bill gives it its name, and it mimics a variety of sounds in a clear voice.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Temperature
15〜30℃
Lifespan
10-15 years
Size
26-27cm
Humidity
40〜60%
Diet
Softbill pellets, fruit, insects and mealworms
About
The crested myna (Acridotheres cristatellus) is a starling of central and southern China and mainland South-East Asia. It is 26 to 27 cm long, about the size of a white-cheeked starling, and wholly black with large white wing patches that show clearly in flight. The edges of the undertail coverts and the tips of the tail feathers are white, and a tuft of feathers projects forward from the base of the bill. The bill is orange and the legs dull yellow, so the wing patch and crest make it easy to identify. It favours open ground near towns and farmland. It is omnivorous, taking plant seeds along with land snails, mole crickets and other soil insects, beetles and their larvae, and grasshoppers, and because it eats pests without attacking crops it is regarded as beneficial to farmers. It calls with a clear voice in many different sounds and mimics freely. A popular cage bird that tames well and is valued for imitating human speech, it has been carried beyond its range and released in several places.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lifespan of the Crested Myna
The Crested Myna lives 10-15 years.
Size of the Crested Myna
The Crested Myna grows to 26-27cm.
Basic Info
Origin
Central and southern China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar
Lifespan
10-15 years
Size
26-27cm
Temperature
Care Specifications
Semi-aggressivePairBreeding: Moderate
Sources: Japanese Wikipedia - Hakkacho (size, morphology, range, records in Japan, diet, voice, aviculture) / Wikipedia - Crested myna (habitat, diet, value to farmers, history of introductions) / IOC World Bird List v15.2 (scientific name, authority, English name, range)
References & Sources
Edited & verified by: BreederDirect editorial team
The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.
Primary sources
- Wikipedia
- CITES Appendices (Acridotheres cristatellus not listed)
- Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1383 (post-CoP20)
- Ministry of the Environment, Japan - List of Invasive Alien Species designated under the IAS Act (birds)
- Ministry of the Environment, Japan - List of Invasive Alien Species (2nd ed., birds)
- IUCN Red List
- Japanese Wikipedia - Hakkacho (size, morphology, range, records in Japan, diet, voice, aviculture)
- IOC World Bird List v15.2 (scientific name, authority, English name, range)
Taxonomy & Authority
Accepted name: Acridotheres cristatellus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms: Gracula cristatella
Authority databases: GBIF
Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.
Regulations & Conservation Status
Not CITES-listedIUCN LC · Least Concern
Domestic law: 特定外来生物には指定されていないが、環境省「生態系被害防止外来種リスト（第2版）」に防除検討外来種として掲載されている。山形から鹿児島まで20を超える都府県で分布が記録され、特に西日本で分布域を拡大している。飼育個体を逸出させない管理と、野外への放出をしないことが求められる。
Acridotheres cristatellus belongs to the family Sturnidae and appears in none of the CITES Appendices; within the family the hill myna Gracula religiosa is in Appendix II and the Bali myna Leucopsar rothschildi in Appendix I. It is not designated an Invasive Alien Species in Japan, but it is listed in the Ministry of the Environment's Invasive Alien Species List (2nd edition, 11 September 2026) in the category for which control measures are under consideration, at the stage of spreading to widespread establishment. The list asks keepers to take care that birds do not escape and never to release them. The IUCN assesses it as Least Concern.
Sources: CITES Appendices (Acridotheres cristatellus not listed) / Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1383 (post-CoP20) / Ministry of the Environment, Japan - List of Invasive Alien Species designated under the IAS Act (birds) / Ministry of the Environment, Japan - List of Invasive Alien Species (2nd ed., birds) / IUCN Red List
Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.
Crested Myna Listings
Loading latest listingsFind listings for this species
