Skip to main content

Sunday Species Snapshot: Bali Myna

Birds don’t get much more beautiful than the Bali myna. Unfortunately, they also don’t get much rarer. Species name: Bali myna (Leucopsar rothschildi), a.k.a.

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Birds don't get much more beautiful than the Bali myna. Unfortunately, they also don't get much rarer.

Species name: Bali myna (Leucopsar rothschildi), a.k.a. the Rothschild's Mynah, Bali Starling, or Jalak Bali

Where found: Bali, an island province of Indonesia


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


IUCN Red List status:Critically endangered, with an estimated wild population of probably fewer than 50 mature birds. Another 1,000 or so live in captivity.

Major threat: The illegal pet trade. The population has probably been low for more than a century, but poaching brought the wild population down to about 15 birds in 1990. Captive breeding brought that number up a bit, but continued poaching caused the number to sink to an all-time low of just six birds in 2001. Numbers have jumped a bit since then, and the birds are breeding in the wild, but they are also still being caught and illegally sold. They also face potential risks such as low genetic diversity and disease.

Notable conservation programs: The Bali Starling Conservation Project on Nusa Penida, which this month celebrated the birth of four healthy chicks.

You can hear the Bali myna's striking song in this video, shot in 2010 in Bali Barat National Park:

Photo by Rumplestiltskin1 via Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license

John R. Platt is the editor of The Revelator. An award-winning environmental journalist, his work has appeared in Scientific American, Audubon, Motherboard, and numerous other magazines and publications. His "Extinction Countdown" column has run continuously since 2004 and has covered news and science related to more than 1,000 endangered species. John lives on the outskirts of Portland, Ore., where he finds himself surrounded by animals and cartoonists.

More by John R. Platt