The mynah bird is a member of the starling family, Sturnidae, while parrots belong to the parrot family, Psittacidae. So no, mynah birds are not parrots. However, there are some similarities between mynahs and parrots that can cause confusion.
Quick Facts About Mynah Birds
- There are about 25 species of mynah birds.
- Mynahs are native to southern Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
- They are medium-sized birds around 8-24 inches long.
- Mynahs are omnivorous, eating both plant and animal material.
- Some species are excellent mimics, able to imitate sounds like human speech.
Quick Facts About Parrots
- There are over 350 species of parrots.
- Parrots live in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
- They range in size from 3 to 40 inches long.
- Parrots are primarily herbivorous, eating fruit, seeds, and vegetation.
- Parrots are famous for their ability to mimic speech and other sounds.
Why Mynah Birds Are Sometimes Confused for Parrots
Despite not actually being parrots, mynah birds share some traits that lead to the confusion:
- Mimicry ability – Like parrots, some mynah species are excellent mimics of sounds like human speech.
- Coloration – Mynahs have bold plumage in colors like black, white, brown, and yellow, similar to some parrots.
- Behavior – Mynahs are highly intelligent, social, and energetic like parrots.
- Captivity – Mynahs can be kept as pets and taught to “talk” like some parrot species.
So while they are not closely related, mynahs and parrots share some superficial similarities in appearance and behavior that lead to the mistaken association.
Taxonomic Differences Between Mynahs and Parrots
Despite the similarities, mynahs and parrots belong to completely different taxonomic families:
Category | Mynah Birds | Parrots |
---|---|---|
Order | Passeriformes | Psittaciformes |
Family | Sturnidae | Psittacidae |
Genera | Acridotheres, Ampeliceps, etc. | Amazona, Ara, Cacatua, etc. |
Number of species | About 25 | Over 350 |
Native region | Southern Asia, Middle East, Africa | Central & South America, Africa, Australasia |
This table summarizes the key taxonomic differences:
- Mynahs and parrots belong to different orders – Passeriformes vs. Psittaciformes.
- They are in different families – Sturnidae vs. Psittacidae.
- They have different genera they are classified under.
- There are many more parrot species than mynah species.
- Mynahs and parrots originated on different continents.
So while mynahs and parrots share some superficial similarities, their taxonomy confirms they are distinctly different types of birds.
Unique Attributes of Mynah Birds
Beyond taxonomy, mynahs have many unique traits and attributes separating them from parrots:
- Only 4 species are known mimics on the level of parrots.
- More omnivorous diet – mynahs eat more insects and small animals than parrots.
- Territorial behavior – mynahs aggressively defend nesting areas.
- Occur in large communal roosts – unlike parrots.
- Some species have facial wattles – fleshy protrusions not seen in parrots.
- Lack of sexual dimorphism – male and female mynahs look alike.
- Shorter lifespan than many parrots.
So mynahs have a number of physical and behavioral adaptations distinct from parrots, even though a few species share vocal mimicry abilities.
Unique Attributes of Parrots
Parrots also have many distinctive traits not shared with mynah birds, including:
- Hooked upper bill – an iconic parrot feature for climbing and food manipulation.
- Zygodactyl feet – with two forward-facing and two backward-facing toes.
- Exceptional vocal mimicry – unparalleled in the avian world.
- Seed-eating beak – shaped for cracking hard nuts and seeds.
- Bright plumage – often with vivid red, blue, green, and yellow colors.
- Playful behavior – parrots are intensely social, playful, and affectionate.
- Long lifespan – many parrot species live 40-80 years.
Parrots have a suite of physical and behavioral adaptations that make them unique among birds, clearly distinguishing them from mynahs.
Mynah Species
There are about 25 recognized species of mynah birds in several genera, including:
Acridotheres Mynahs
- Bank mynah – Acridotheres ginginianus
- Common mynah – Acridotheres tristis
- Jungle mynah – Acridotheres fuscus
- Collared mynah – Acridotheres albocinctus
- Pale-bellied mynah – Acridotheres cinereus
Ampeliceps Mynahs
- Hill mynah – Gracula religiosa
- Southern hill mynah – Gracula indica
- Enggano hill mynah – Gracula enganensis
- Nias hill mynah – Gracula robusta
Mino Mynahs
- Yellow-faced mynah – Mino dumontii
- Golden mynah – Mino anais
- Long-tailed mynah – Mino kreffti
Basilornis Mynahs
- Sulawesi mynah – Basilornis celebensis
- Helmeted mynah – Basilornis galeatus
- Long-crested mynah – Basilornis corythaix
This list covers the major genera and species of true mynah birds, highlighting their diversity.
Parrot Genera
In contrast to the 25 or so mynah species, there are over 350 species of parrots in dozens of genera, including:
New World Parrots
- Macaws – Ara, Anodorhynchus, Cyanopsitta
- Amazon parrots – Amazona
- Conures – Aratinga, Pyrrhura
- Parakeets – Brotogeris, Cyanoliseus
- Parrotlets – Forpus
Old World Parrots
- Cockatoos – Cacatua
- Corellas – Licmetis, Eolophus
- Lories and lorikeets – Trichoglossus, Loriculus
- Lovebirds – Agapornis
- Fig parrots – Psittaculirostris
- Alexandrine parakeet – Psittacula
African Parrots
- African grey parrot – Psittacus
- Meyer’s parrot – Poicephalus
- Brown-necked parrot – Poicephalus
- Red-fronted parrot – Poicephalus
This is just a sampling of the wide diversity of parrot genera containing hundreds of individual species.
Conclusion
To summarize the key differences:
- Mynahs belong to the family Sturnidae while parrots are Psittacidae.
- There are only about 25 mynah species compared to over 350 parrot species.
- Mynahs originate in southern Asia while parrots come from the Americas, Africa, Australia.
- Mynahs and parrots have distinct physical adaptations.
- Only a few mynah species mimic speech compared to many parrots.
So while mynahs and parrots share a few superficial similarities in appearance and behavior, they are taxonomically distinct bird families with many unique attributes separating them. Mynahs are not considered true parrots, instead belonging to their own family Sturnidae within the passerine order. Careful examination of their evolutionary lineages, anatomy, geographic ranges, and traits makes it clear that mynahs, while fascinating birds, are definitively not parrots.