Long-crested Myna - BirdForum Opus

Alternative names: Ceram Myna; Ceram Starling; Seram King Starling

Basilornis corythaix

Photo by James Eaton
Seram, Indonesia

Identification

25cm. A distinctive myna.

• Feathers of crown and nape directed towards mid-line and elongated to form a tall crest
• Mostly black plumage with some purple and green iridescence
• White patches on lower ear-coverts and on side of breast
• Brown wing with pale buff inner webs on primaries
• Wedge-shaped tail purple-tinged black
• Brown eye
• Dark bare skin around eye
• Cream-coloured bill
• Yellow bill.

Sexes similar. Juveniles undescribed.

Distribution

Endemic to Seram in the Moluccas, Indonesia.
A poorly known, uncommon restricted-range species.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.
May form a superspecies with Sulawesi Myna and Helmeted Myna.

Habitat

Forest and montanes. Also in secondary forest, lightly wooded cultivation and gardens. Occurs mostly at 200 - 900m.

Behaviour

Feeds probably on fruit.
Recorded singly, in pairs and in gardens together with Moluccan Starling.
Breeding recorded in July. Obviously monogamous. No more information about breeding.
A resident species.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Long-crested Myna. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 18 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Long-crested_Myna

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