Name: Hill Myna (Gracula religiosa)
Synonyms: Common Hill Myna, ‘Tiong Tiong’ (Chinese/Malay name onomatopoeic of the Hill Myna’s call)
Classification: Animalia > Chordata > Aves > Passeriformes > Sturnidae > Gracula > religiosa
Habitat: Secondary forest, Urban
Description: Unlike the more well-known Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus) and Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis), the Hill Myna is a much larger bird and looks quite different from its two more abundant relatives. A medium-large bird with a loud, resonant call, the Hill Myna is mostly glossy black in colour, with a leathery yellow wattle around the ears and the nape, along with a bright orange-yellow beak and a white patch on the wings. In the pet trade, Hill Mynas are famous for their ability to mimic a wide variety of sounds and is even capable of mimicking human speech.
Call:
Hill Myna (Source: xeno-canto.org)
Distribution Map:
Photo Gallery:
The Birds of NUS 