Common Birds of Western Himalayas 



conspicuous during flight, and some white in 

 the tail. The legs and bill look as though 

 they had been dipped in the mustard pot, and 

 there is a bare patch of mustard-coloured skin 

 on either side of the head. This sprightly 

 bird is sociably inclined. Grasshoppers form 

 its favourite food. These it seeks on the 

 grass, over which it struts with as much dignity 

 as a stout raja. In the spring the mynas make 

 free with our bungalows, seizing on any con- 

 venient holes or ledges as sites for their nests. 

 The nest is a conglomeration of straw, rags, 

 paper, and any rubbish that comes to beak. 

 The eggs are a beautiful blue. 



The only other myna commonly seen in 

 Himalayan hill stations is the jungle myna 

 (^thio-psar fuscus). This is so like the species 

 just described, that nine out of ten people fail 

 to differentiate between the two birds. Close 

 inspection shows that this species has a little 

 tuft of feathers on the forehead, which the 

 common myna lacks. On the other hand, the 

 yellow patch of skin round the eyes is wanting 

 in the jungle myna. 



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