Least Concern Birds

Common Myna

Acridotheres tristis

Adaptable bird in urban and rural areas, omnivorous eating insects and fruits.

Scientific name	Acridotheres tristis
Swahili name	Njiwa ya kawaida
Conservation status	Least Concern
Class	Aves
Order	Passeriformes
Family	Sturnidae
Size	Male: approximately 0.12-0.15 kg; Female: approximately 0.11-0.14 kg

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How to identify

Plumage mainly dark brown with black head; conspicuous yellow bare skin around the eye; white patches on wings, prominent in flight; bill and legs yellow; tail short and square-shaped

Habitat

Cities, parks, farmland, open woodlands, and rural environments

Diet

Omnivorous, feeding mainly on insects, fruits, seeds, and human food scraps

When it is active

Diurnal, active during the day

Where it lives

Native to South Asia, now widely distributed in East Africa (including Kenya), the Middle East, and Australia; stable populations in Maasai Mara, Kenya

How to spot it

Easily observed in open areas or urban green spaces during morning and evening; note its distinctive calls and gregarious behavior

Photography tips

Use soft morning light for photography, capturing white wing patches in flight; keep background simple in close-up shots to highlight the yellow eye-ring