MYNAH MESSENGER: Breeding the Java Hill Mynah

By Lynda Scott, Naples, FL

[Editor's Note: There are numerous sub­ question that begs to be answered­ species in the genus Gracula. The common can mynahs he successfully bred in names, however, are confusing since two sub­ only one inch longer. captivity? species are called Greater India Hill Mynah This large heavy-bodied bird is the and up to five subspecies are calledJava Hill Mynah. It is important to pay attention to the aristocrat ofthe pet mynahs. More rare can Captive Mynahs be Bred? scientific names in these mynah articles. The and expensive than the Greater India I'll be the first to admit that my hus­ scientific name will accompany thefirst use of Hill Mynah, it is not consistently avail­ band, Michael, and I knew nothing the common name, thereafter just the com­ able. There are fewer than 10 known about raising mynahs when we start­ mon name will be used. SID] pairs set up for breeding in United ed. I was, understandably, a bit appre­ States and only four pairs are known hensive about raising a flock of baby hat bird has personal style, to have produced babies. It is consid­ mynahs. Could we do it and would has that look that makes it ered the best talker of all, even better there be a demand for them? We had W stand apart from the rest? than the African Grey Parrot. already successfully bred and handfed We have to be talking about the dis­ Cockatiels, conures and African Grey tinct mynah bird that captures every­ The Greater India Hill Mynah Parrots but there was very little infor­ one's attention with its uncanny ability The Greater India Hill Mynah mation available on breeding of to out-talk the best parrot. comes from northeastern India, the mynahs in 1991-and what was avail­ Himalayas, Burma and Thailand. A able was very inaccurate. We decided Java Hill Mynah natural mimic, it will imitate a variety to go ahead with our plans and have The Java Hill Mynah CGracula reli­ of natural sounds in the wild and a never regretted it. It has been a chal­ giosa religiosa), the subject of this arti­ handfed baby is usually a marvelous lenge well worth the effort. cle, comes from southern Burma, talker. This is the mynah that most The Java Hill and the India Hill Malaysia and the Indonesian Islands of people remember in the pet shops. Mynahs are the only two varieties of Sumatra, Java and Bali as well as While both are similar in appear­ mynahs that we raise in southwest Borneo. The bird measures 12 inches ance, one distinguishing difference is Florida. We live in a subtropical area in length. The plumage in the adult is in the wattles. The Greater India Hill's with winter temperatures averaging in black with an iridescent purple and wattles begin at the broad area below the 70s and summer temperatures green sheen. A band of white appears the eyes and extend backwards averaging in th.e 90s with high humid­ across the center area of the flight around the head, covering most of the ity, and a long rainy season-perfect feathers. Head feathers are short with a lower facial area, but not extending conditions for raising mynahs, we velvety texture. The beak resembles below the lower mandible. Narrowing hoped. Halloween candy-bright orange fading at the nape of the neck, the wattles Our first producing pair of mynahs to yellow on the tip. The tail is square almost meet at the back of the head were the Java Hills that we purchased and about 2 1/2 inches. The feet and but are separated by a small triangle of in the spring of 1991. I believe they legs are yellow. The chief distinguish­ velvety black feathers. The Java Hill were about six months old. We found ing features are the wattles which are Mynah has a wide connecting line them in a local pet store and were fleshy patches ofbare skin that dangle instead of a triangle. amazed at their size and beauty. We over the nape ofthe neck. The wattles The same pattern holds true in the were very fortunate that they turned are bright yellow, a vivid contrast to yellow flesh area below the eyes. The out to be a pair and we had no idea the surrounding black feathers. The Greater India Hill Mynahs have a small just how rare they were. Unfortunately, Java Hill is larger than the Greater triangle of black feathers, almost an we never found another pair for sale. India Hill Mynah CGracula religiosa inverted T, the Javas have a wide con­ intermedia), especially in the head necting line. Mynah Menu and the thick beak, even though it is In this article, I will answer the They were and still are fed a diet of afa WATCHBIRD 19 mynah pellets, fresh fruit, including a continuous basis and he constructs soaked mynah pellets, soaked whole apples, bananas, peaches, pears, the intricately weaved nest for her. I wheat bread and apple juice. They guavas, papaya, cantaloupe, honey­ also give them shredded newspaper also fed the babies cooked potatoes dew melon, watermelon and a few and they will line the inner part of the and vegetables, mashed fine. grapes. We don't give them raisins as nest with the paper. Breeding begins The parents were very gracious in they are high in iron. We also feed shortly after the nest is completed and allowing me to check on the babies them unthawed mixed vegetables, the first blue speckled egg appears each day. We took the babies in for cooked sweet potatoes, carrots, beans, about one week later. Either two or handfeeding at two weeks old. They squash, hard boiled eggs, rice, pasta three eggs will be laid each clutch. each weighed 125 grams, had black and whole wheat bread. They prefer Both parents take turns sitting on the on the tips of their duck like yellow their daily banana left whole and their eggs for an incubation period of 14 beaks, had the purest, white rubbery apples just halved so they can tear out days. legs and were still very bald. Very pre­ the pulp. They love spices, dairy prod­ There are many perches placed historic looking. They were placed in ucts, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, high and low in the aviary. A feeding a small square plastiC flat container and sour cream. station is at one end and a bird water which we lined with a cloth towel and You may also give them white bath is on the other side with water wrapped the babies, individually, in chicken or turkey, fish, tuna packed in dripping in it continuously. It is a small towels to keep them warm. They water and peanut butter as added pro­ delight to see the' birds flying and voic­ were then placed in a brooder with tein. We give them no red meat nor ing their wild bird calls. The aviary was the temperature kept at 92° F. with a any dog or cat food products and no heavily planted with non poisonous cup of distilled water in the brooder monkey biscuits as most are high in plants inside and out so.they would for moisture. We continued to provide iron or nutritionally deficient and no feel more at home. They quickly ate all heat until three and a half weeks of raw meat (bacteria). We do not give the plants inside so we do not plant age. them citrus as it is too acidic for a inside anymore. We do keep tall bush­ At four weeks, the youngsters mynah. A cuttle bone is hung in the es around the aviary and it helps the began to fly and were placed in a 4 ft. flight which they may or may not birds feel secure. long cage with three perches for hop­ touch until the urge to breed begins. The mynahs do not do well with ping. At that point, we gave them a They have a bowl of apple juice or other birds, therefore, they are the only nest box with the hole cut larger to whole milk every day. We later dis­ two occupants in the building. I tried sleep in, lined with only paper towels. covered that milk is preferred when Button Quail on the ground but the They love the softness of the towels. breeding and, yes, they can digest it. It mynahs apparently thought the new They will have accidents in the night provides them with vitamins A, C and born quail were live food hatched for until they are a few months old, so o as well as calcium to lay eggs. Milk them. change the paper daily. They will also helps to inhibit iron storage in the The first Java Hill Mynah eggs sleep in the nest box even during the liver which is a main problems for (three) were laid in September, 1991, day for cat naps as they are cavity many softbills. one egg each day, just a few months dwellers in the wild and this instinct after being placed in the new building. seems to come naturally to them. Mynah Mansion Unfortunately the three eggs were We fed them Exact handfeeding for­ The Javas were extremely timid, infertile and no more breeding activity mula mixed with a little papaya baby flighty and we knew they would never took place that year, however, it was a food until three weeks of age when breed in a cage so we designed a beginning. We were treading in we began to introduce soaked mynah building where they would have plen­ unknown territory, with very little pellets and small pieces of fruit and ty of flying room and have the privacy knowledge available on the breeding soft vegetables as well. We do not use they needed. It is octagon shaped, 14 of mynahs and we were very excited. kitten chow as it is high in iron. Young ft. in diameter, 10 ft. tall. We used '/2 in. mynahs have large gaping mouths and x 1 in. wire with a covered roof and The First Babies will beg for food every time they see a later screen was put around the cage On June 14, 15 and 16, 1992, the keeper. They have no crop and seem wire to keep out mosquitoes, bees and first clutch of the season was laid. The to be hungry all the time. We placed wasps. A long shelf was placed five parents would not sit on the eggs their brooder and eventually a cage in feet high on which we placed three when we were in the building so we their own dark, quiet bedroom and Cockatiel size nest boxes with the quickly fed them and left. Two babies feed them every two hours, beginning holes made two inches larger. The pair were hatched on June 29th and June at around 7 A.M. to 11 P.M. has used all three. The hen, however, 30th. We were thrilled. Since incuba­ Between two and four weeks old, seems to prefer the first one. tion is 14 days for hatching, we knew they grow in the majority oftheir feath­ Being large birds, they sleep in sep­ the first egg was infertile. The parents ers which is quite stressful, therefore arate nest boxes at night. The male fed the babies for 14 days on meal we keep them on the high protein sleeps in the one next to the hen worms, which we supplied in a large handfeeding formula, giving them all although it has no bedding in it. It is as bowl of dry oatmeal, fresh papaya, they want. They wean off of the for­ he prefers it. Pine straw is proVided on bananas, apples, peaches, pears, mula between seven to nine weeks.

20 MayIJune 1997 The Greater Indian Hill Mynah (Graculosa religiosa intermedia) has a dis­ tinctive pattern on the yellow wattles. TheJava Hill Mynah (Graculosa reli­ giosa religiosa) is larger tha the Greater Indial Hill Mynah arid has a different wattle pattern. TheJavas are very uncommon in American avicul­ ture.

It is a wondeiful sight to see youngJava Hill Mynahs domestically bred and banded.

The black on their beaks slowly fades away to let the bright orange color come shining through by three months and the skin on their legs becomes light orange. On their legs and feet they develop a layered scale similar to the scales on a chicken's legs. The first bright, curious baby hatched still lives with us. She stole our hearts. If you should call, Georgie will be glad to speak with you. She is a wonderful pet, an excellent talker (actually a ham) and loves to speak over the telephone. She was her dad­ dy's girl and totally devoted to my hus­ band, Michael, until Ollie came along five years later but that is another story. END OF PART ONE + TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT WATCHBIRD Dailyfruit dishes.for theJava Hill Mynahs. This is in addition to pellets, jUice and milk.

afa WATCHBIRD 21