# Gracula religiosa intermedia

The Gracula religiosa intermedia, also known as the Asian Hill Myna, is a colorful bird famous for its ability to mimic sounds and voices. These birds are social and love to chatter with each other!

- **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Forests
- **Also known as:** Asian Hill Myna, Hill Myna

![Gracula religiosa intermedia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Common_Hill_Myna%252C_Satchari_NP%252C_Bangladesh_1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Nafis Ameen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Hill_Myna%252C_Satchari_NP%252C_Bangladesh_1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Gracula religiosa intermedia is a medium-sized bird with glossy black plumage that often shows iridescent green and purple hues in sunlight. It has prominent bright yellow-orange fleshy wattles and bare skin patches on its head, particularly behind the eyes and on the nape. White patches on its wings are visible during flight, distinguishing it from other dark-colored birds.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Passeriformes
- **Family:** Sturnidae
- **Genus:** Gracula

## Interesting facts

- Baby mynas are fed a special diet of mostly protein-rich insects by their parents.
- Mynas communicate in a special 'dialect' specific to their local flock, like a secret code!
- Their shiny black feathers sometimes flash with iridescent green and purple in the sunlight.
- These birds use their strong, pointed beak like tweezers to carefully pick up tiny insects!

## Special abilities

- **Master Mimicry:** Gracula religiosa intermedia can flawlessly imitate human speech and environmental sounds due to its complex vocal cords.
- **Voice Changer:** This bird possesses a unique two-part voice box (syrinx) that allows it to produce a wide range of complex whistles and squawks.
- **Agile Forager:** Gracula religiosa intermedia can skillfully pluck fruits and catch insects while moving through dense forest canopy with great dexterity.

## Measurements & details

- **Length:** 25-30 cm
- **Wingspan:** 35-45 cm
- **Weight:** 0.15-0.25 kg
- **Lifespan:** 10-15 years
- **Speed:** 40 km/h
- **Clutch Size:** 2-4
- **Incubation:** 13-17 days

## Diet & Feeding

Mostly eats sweet fruits and juicy insects found in the trees.

- **Primary Foods:** Figs, Berries, Grasshoppers, Beetles, Nectar, Small Lizards
- **Foraging Method:** Foraging

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Shikra (*Accipiter badius*) — A common bird of prey.
- **Eats:** Banyan Fig (*Ficus benghalensis*) — Feeds on its sweet fruits.
- **Eats:** [Desert Locust](https://www.snappit.app/explore/desert-locust) (*Schistocerca gregaria*) — Consumes various large insects.

## Traits

- [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.
- [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
- [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

- [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Gracula religiosa intermedia?

Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How long is Gracula religiosa intermedia?

25-30 cm

### What is Gracula religiosa intermedia's wingspan?

35-45 cm

### How much does Gracula religiosa intermedia weigh?

0.15-0.25 kg

### How long does Gracula religiosa intermedia live?

10-15 years

### How fast can Gracula religiosa intermedia move?

40 km/h

### What does Gracula religiosa intermedia eat?

Mostly eats sweet fruits and juicy insects found in the trees.

### Where is Gracula religiosa intermedia usually found?

Forests

## More Birds

- [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*)
- [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*)
- [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*)
- [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*)

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Source: [Gracula religiosa intermedia Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/gracula-religiosa-intermedia)
