Indian Myna - History
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The Indian Myna
Photo: Richard Major
Australian Museum
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The Indian Myna (also known as the Common Myna) is native to tropical southern Asia from Iran to India and Sri Lanka.
The Indian Myna has extended its range into most of Southeast Asia, and has been introduced elsewhere, including South Africa, North America, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and many Pacific islands.
Indian Mynas were introduced into Melbourne’s market gardens in the 1860s to keep down insects. They were then taken to Cairns and other places in far north Queensland to control insects in cane fields. They failed!
Mynas prefer to live in human modified habitat (suburbs, parks and disturbed rural landscapes). Intelligent and aggressive, Mynas are now often the predominant bird in urban areas all along the east coast – from Cairns to Melbourne.
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