Africa Invaded: Common Mynah

The common mynah Acridotheres tristris is another member of the starling family that is invasive in Africa. Sometimes called the Indian mynah because it is native to India and surrounding countries in south and south-east Asia, the bird has also become established in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, New Caledonia, Fiji, Western Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, and some other oceanic islands. In many cases it was introduced deliberately to control insect pests on crops, but sometimes accidentally when cagebirds escaped. The bird is an opportunistic feeder that eats almost anything, contributing to its success as an invader.

In South Africa the mynah was first recorded in Durban in 1902, and within 50 years it had colonised most of western and northern KwaZulu-Natal. It has since spread south along the coast, and has been reported to have bred successfully at Port Elizabeth. Further expansion of its range may be restricted, as the species seems to prefer warm climates and highrainfall areas. However, there are concerns that global warming might shift the distribution limit further south-westwards and into the country’s dry interior, or even into adjacent countries. The mynah has already invaded a number of island states off the coast of Africa, including Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and the Canary Islands.

In areas where it has invaded, the mynah reduces the biodiversity of local birdlife, as it competes aggressively with indigenous birds for food and nest sites, and eats their eggs and chicks. It damages fruit and grain crops in agricultural areas, and may cause a decline in populations of beneficial insects. It probably also facilitates the spread of invasive plants, by eating their fruit and dispersing the seeds in their droppings. In Hawaii, for example, the mynah was introduced to control insects in sugarcane fields, but was later implicated in the spread of invasive Lantana camera.

Mynahs often roost communally, and may nest in hollows in trees or walls and under roof eaves. They are considered a nuisance by people living in urban areas, being noisy birds that call loudly as they enter and leave the roost. They are also unwelcome houseguests because they attack other garden birds, eat the fruit on garden trees, make a mess with their droppings, and may bring itchcausing mites into the home when nesting in the eaves.

Reference: Matthews S. & Brandt K.   Africa Invaded: The growing danger of invasive alien species  Global Invasive Species Programme 2004