About Acridotheres melanopterus (Daudin, 1800)
The black-winged myna (Acridotheres melanopterus) is a small myna species, measuring 23 centimetres (9.1 in) in length. This species has distinctive plumage: its head, breast, back, and rump are white, while its tail and parts of its wings are glossy black. The tip of the tail and additional sections of the wings are also white. The skin surrounding the eye is unfeathered and yellow, and the bill is yellow with a slightly darker base. Male and female black-winged mynas look identical. Juvenile birds resemble adults, except that their crown and back are grey. The tricolor subspecies is similar to the nominate subspecies, but has a grey back and considerably more black coloring on the wings. The tertius subspecies is similar to tricolor, except that the grey coloring on its back extends all the way down to the tail. The natural habitats of the black-winged myna include tropical dry forests, tropical dry shrubland, tropical moist shrubland, and pastureland, ranging from sea level up to 2400 meters. Until recently, the species adapted well to human-altered habitats, and has moved into orchards, lawns, suburban areas, and other cultivated land. The black-winged myna eats a range of different foods, including fruit, nectar, and insects. It feeds in small groups or in pairs, both on the ground and in trees. It roosts communally in groups at night, sometimes alongside other starling species such as the Bali myna. It is a seasonal breeder, and the exact timing of its breeding season varies by location. Populations in west Java breed from March to May, while populations in east Bali have a breeding season around June. Black-winged mynas are apparently monogamous, and build their nests in twig-lined holes located among rocks or in trees.
