The ‘arrogant’ Common Myna
Bengal Birds -8 (শালিখ)
There’s got to be very few birds as arrogant as a Common Mayna, known as salikh in our state. Already known for their aggressiveness and boldness, they are one of the most commonly found birds in my locality.
From the clarity of the picture it is evident that the bird was only a few feet away from my lens. The other picture is one of my favorite. Look at those ‘bold steps’! Oh boy! I was sitting on a chair on my terrace, being tired from chasing around the birds with camera, when this fellow landed only 6-7 feet away from me. And then, to my utter surprise, it just entered inside my house through the open door with those bold steps, completely ignoring me who was pointing the camera towards it! As if it wasn’t enough, two other Myna’s followed this dare devil! I was never ‘cold shouldered’ like this in my entire life, let alone by a bird! No surprise that this bird has been included in ‘100 of the World’s Worst Invasive Alien Species’.
Bengali Name
শালিখ
Male – Female Distinction
Both males and females look alike. Males are slightly larger in size, but it is not that prominent!
Residency Status
Resident of West Bengal.
General Behaviors
- Very aggressive, not very afraid of people.
- Usually seen in a flock.
- Starting from biscuits to insects, their food includes all!
- Often seen building their nests in air-ventilator or exhaust fan holes with twigs or grass and grass-like materials.
Places where I have found them
Being one of the most invasive alien species in the world, they can be found almost everywhere! They have adapted quite well to the urban life which have almost become their natural habitat!
