Bird of the day
Sulawesi myna
Basilornis celebensis
The Sulawesi myna (Basilornis celebensis) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It is endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
The Sulawesi myna grows to a length of 23 to 27 cm (9.1 to 10.6 in). It is a glossy black bird with a permanently raised crest which is larger in the male. The sides of the face and throat have white patches. The eye is surrounded by a bluish-black ring of bare skin, the beak is pale bluish-green and the legs are yellowish. Juvenile birds are chocolate brown.
This myna has a range of sounds including grunts, high-pitched whistles, squeaks and warbles. One call is a descending sequence of whistles and another is a descending nasal call that sounds like "meeow" and is uttered with the head thrusting forwards and the back feathers fluffed up.
Aliases
Basilornis celebensis
Data retrieved on October 15, 2025 at 8:00 AM