The Common Myna or Mynah Bird of the Cook Islands.
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The Common Myna Bird of the Cook Islands (Maori spelling) has only been in residence for just over a hundred years. Originally from India (where it has an H added) it was introduced as a pest control agent. Now below here is that story:
Clement Wragge was an observant visitor to Rarotonga in 1904. He reported that Paper Hornets (Rango Pātia), Coconut Stick-insects (‘Ē) and caterpillars were very common pests. He was told by his round-island guide that Resident Commissioner Gudgeon would not introduce the insect-eating Common Myna for fear that it might destroy fruit. The guide also said, "If insect-eating birds are not soon introduced, the pests will ruin us."
At that time there were no insect-eating native birds common on the lowland and, obviously, the few Australian Magpies and Skylarks introduced from New Zealand in 1892 by the British Resident Frederick Moss, had not survived.
By 1904, the Common Myna, a native of India and western Southeast Asia, had been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji and Tahiti to control various insect pests. Wragge had seen it in New Caledonia and in Tahiti.
In March 1906, Sidney Davis, the manager of Cook Islands Trading Company, wrote to his trading partner in Tahiti, Mr. H. Meuel, to obtain some “Indian Minahs”. Mr Meuel replied that he knew of them as Merle des Moluques and could obtain them at about 4 shillings a pair, noting that they were “imported [to Tahiti] to help in the destruction of wasps, but it is found in practice that they also feed with preference on native fruit, such as Bananas, they multiply pretty fast.....”. Merle des Moluques, literally “thrush of the Moluccas”, refers to the Molucca or Spice Islands in Indonesia.
At that time there were no insect-eating native birds common on the lowland and, obviously, the few Australian Magpies and Skylarks introduced from New Zealand in 1892 by the British Resident Frederick Moss, had not survived.
By 1904, the Common Myna, a native of India and western Southeast Asia, had been introduced to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji and Tahiti to control various insect pests. Wragge had seen it in New Caledonia and in Tahiti.
In March 1906, Sidney Davis, the manager of Cook Islands Trading Company, wrote to his trading partner in Tahiti, Mr. H. Meuel, to obtain some “Indian Minahs”. Mr Meuel replied that he knew of them as Merle des Moluques and could obtain them at about 4 shillings a pair, noting that they were “imported [to Tahiti] to help in the destruction of wasps, but it is found in practice that they also feed with preference on native fruit, such as Bananas, they multiply pretty fast.....”. Merle des Moluques, literally “thrush of the Moluccas”, refers to the Molucca or Spice Islands in Indonesia.
So there you have a brief story of how this bird arrived. I say that it is as cheeky as a Magpie, as it will visit your table if you are eating on a veranda and steal the food off your plate.
6 comments:
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I have very mixed feelings about these birds, they are an aggressive bully, killing all other small and medium birds up to double their size or even larger using numbers to their advantage, they are a dirty, cruel nasty scourge and a health hazard, picking the eyes out of blue tongue lizards and causing small mammals a cruel death. Yet they have a nature all of their own and no other creature on earth shows its emotions like these and the way they look after their own kind is beyond belief but with other birds the very opposite is true, when I go for a walk in the morning, I can not help but laugh at how they appear to know me and start the "CHIRPING" when they see me coming 80 meters away, I sing out "WARK" and that sets them right off as they go TUTOR, TUTOR TUTOR, TUTE
Also I heard of 1 who entered a train in Inner Melbourne 2 years back, he was to late going for the door which closed on him as the train moved off and as it gained speed MYNA" became very upset, he was NOT THE ONLY one upset but the carriage full of people were upset AS THE MYNA WAS ABOVE THEM and they in their work uniforms, about 4 stations down the track they managed to get him out and he went "TUTE" happily and flew very quickly up track to be reunited with his mate
I love birds. You also like the. Keep loving them and save them from extinction.
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The Bank Myna is an endemic species of South Asia, where it is known locally by a diverse collection of names, including the Ganga Myna, the Bardi Myna, and the Daryla Myna. The Bank Myna is similar in its coloration to the Common Myna, with which it also shares its range, but is smaller. It is a gregarious bird and is often see in flocks during the breeding season. It is often found in riverside habitats as well as in open country and near human habitation.
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