Photo: Bruno Geisler / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Helmeted Myna
Basilornis galeatus
Helmeted Myna (Basilornis galeatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Helmeted Myna (Basilornis galeatus) is a member of the Sturnidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 126 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Sturnidae Starlings, Rhabdornises
- Genus Basilornis
- Species galeatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 126 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Helmeted Myna is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Helmeted Myna is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Helmeted Myna (Basilornis galeatus) is a species of bird in the Sturnidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Banggai and Sula is. (e of Sulawesi).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 126 g, with a wing length of about 14.1 cm and a tail of around 9.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7,249 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Helmeted Myna?
The Helmeted Myna is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 126 g.
Where does the Helmeted Myna live?
The Helmeted Myna is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Banggai and Sula is. (e of Sulawesi), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Helmeted Myna belong to?
The Helmeted Myna (Basilornis galeatus) belongs to the Sturnidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Helmeted Myna eat?
The Helmeted Myna is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Helmeted Myna migrate?
The Helmeted Myna is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Helmeted Myna endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Helmeted Myna make?
1 real field recording of the Helmeted Myna — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Helmeted Myna's range?
The Helmeted Myna has a mapped global range of about 7,249 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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