MYNAH MESSENGER: You CAN Breed Mynahs Indoors

Abstract

 y three-year search for a female Java Hill Mynah Gracula religiosa religiosa has finally been successful. Linda Leger, a well known mynah breeder, offered one to me and the answer, of course, was YES!, I'll take the bird.

Inside or Out?

That is the Question.

We had a few weeks to prepare for the bird's arrival. During the wait we picked "Xena" as her name. Now our black-clad warrior princess needed a place to live. Inside or out was the question.

Our first thoughts were "bigger is better." The only pair of Javas that I know of first hand belongs to Linda Scott, are very prolific breeders and have a large outdoor aviary. These birds are very wild and flighty and not suited to a life indoors. To this day, when Scott goes out to feed them they fly off their eggs.

On the other hand, several pairs of Hill Mynahs Gracula religiosa intermedia have done just great and have raised their young indoors in the living areas of their owners' homes. The two species differ only in size with the Java being larger and louder.

Our male, "Sunshine," finished handfeeding in our dining room and has been there ever since. He would be scared and miserable in an outdoor aviary away from the rock and roll of the radio and the Nascar Races of the television...

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