About Leucopsar rothschildi Stresemann, 1912
Leucopsar rothschildi Stresemann, 1912, commonly known as the Bali myna, is a medium-large starling that reaches approximately 25 centimetres (9.8 inches) in length. Almost its entire plumage is white, and it has a long, drooping crest, plus black markings on the tips of its wings and the tip of its tail. Its bill is brown and yellow, and it has blue bare skin surrounding both its eyes and its legs. The sexes of the Bali myna look very similar, but the male’s crest is longer than the female’s. The closely related black-winged myna (Acridotheres melanopterus) differs from the Bali myna in having a shorter crest, a far larger area of black on its wings and tail, and yellow bare skin on its eye-ring and legs. The Bali myna’s natural distribution is limited to northwest Bali and its surrounding offshore islands in Indonesia, and it is the only vertebrate species that is endemic to the island of Bali. In 1991, this bird was named the official faunal emblem of Bali. It is depicted on the Indonesian 200 rupiah coin, and its local name is jalak Bali, written as ᬚᬮᬓ᭄ᬩᬮᬶ in Balinese script. In its natural habitat, the Bali myna is difficult to spot, as it stays in the cover of tree tops. Unlike most other starlings, it only typically comes down to the ground to drink or collect nesting materials; this behaviour is thought to be an adaptation to avoid being noticed by predators when it is out in open areas. Young Bali mynas often gather in groups, which helps them locate food more effectively and watch for predators. The Bali myna produces a range of vocalizations, including various sharp chattering calls and a distinct, emphatic tweet. Its diet consists of fruit, seeds, worms, and insects.
