Home / Birds / Songbirds and perching birds / Black-winged myna

No federal permit to keep

Black-winged myna

Acridotheres melanopterus

Also known as Black-winged Starling

Birds › Songbirds and perching birds (Passeriformes) › Sturnidae (Starlings and mynas)

The black-winged myna (Acridotheres melanopterus) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae.

Aviary

Experience: Intermediate

Black-winged myna — Photo: Enoch Cheuk, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Photo: Enoch Cheuk, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

FamilyStarlings and mynas

Kept byAviary

HabitatIts natural habitats are tropical dry forests

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.

Winter refuge air temperature	68 °F (20 °C) Indoor aviary set point recommended by EAZA; provide ventilation.	333
Minimum main aviary dimensions	length: 4 m; width: 3.5 m; height: 2.5 m For a pair; recommendation is larger than some successfully used breeding enclosures.	333
Winter indoor aviary dimensions	length: 2 m; width: 2 m; height: 2 m For a pair during winter; group housing requires more space.	333
Maximum pellet iron	less than: 150 ppm Precautionary low-iron pellet criterion; source reports no detected iron-storage disease for this species.	333
Documented captive lifespan	24 years Oldest individual in cited international studbook.	333

Care guide

Group care guide

Starlings and mynas

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Tropical woodland. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

For Acridotheres melanopterus, EAZA reports no detected iron-storage disease in the reviewed experience, but recommends low-iron pellets as a precaution. This differs from claiming disease is very common in all mynas.

Housing & setup

Large flights or aviaries; very active, messy birds.

Sources 120 121 319 333

Diet

Low-iron softbill pellets, fruit and insects.

Sources 120 121 319 333

Health watch

Mynahs are susceptible to iron storage disease. Use a suitably low-iron diet and avoid high-vitamin-C foods that increase iron uptake; susceptibility is not identical across all Sturnidae.

Sources 120 121 319 333

Understanding the animal

This species is part of a group that hobbyists, aviculturists or zoos keep widely (Starlings and mynas), so it's included for completeness. It may be rare in captivity itself, or not kept at all. Use the group guide as a starting point and look for species-specific advice from experienced keepers.

About this animal

The species is also known as the black-winged starling or the white-breasted starling. It is endemic to Indonesia.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Black-winged myna” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	The black-winged myna (Acridotheres melanopterus) is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. The species is also known as the black-winged starling or the white-breasted starling. It is endemic to Indonesia. There are three recognised subspecies: the nominate race, which occurs across much of the island of Java; tricolor, which is restricted to south east Java; and tertius, which is found on Bali and possibly Lombok. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Its natural habitats are tropical dry forests, tropical dry shrubland, tropical moist shrubland, and pastureland, from sea-level up to 2400 meters. Until recently it had adjusted to human-modified habitats well, moving into orchards, lawns, suburban areas and other cultivated land. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Behavior	The black-winged myna feeds on a variety of items, including fruit, nectar and insects. It feeds in small groups and in pairs, both in trees and on the ground. It roosts communally at night in groups, sometimes with other starling species like the Bali myna. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Appearance and size	The black-winged myna is a small myna, 23 cm in length. The plumage of this species is striking, with the head, breast, back and rump being white, and the tail and parts of the wings glossy black. The tip of the tail and parts of the wings are also white. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Conservation	The black-winged myna was once an abundant bird, so much so that it was considered a potential rival and threat to the threatened Bali myna. The species has declined, however, for much the same reasons as the Bali myna, principally collection for the caged-bird trade. — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 85°F (up to 88°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 68°F (down to 61°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	71–80°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	80–83% on average (driest month about 77%)
Rainfall	about 2282 mm a year

Measured at 27 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Clutch size

Reported3.5eggs

Myhrvold et al. 1633.5

Average per litter or clutch.

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

USDA Animal Welfare Act (birds). Since USDA's 2023 bird standards, most commercial bird dealers and exhibitors (and many breeders who sell wholesale) need an Animal Welfare Act license, with some exemptions for small-scale breeders and retail sellers. Keeping your own pet bird doesn't. 184

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Animal Welfare Act standards

Birds (Subpart G). Applies to USDA-licensed or registered dealers, exhibitors (including encounters and paid programs) and research facilities. Private pet owners are not covered. These are legal minimums, not best care; the species care on this page goes further.

Indoor air temperature, humidity and any pool or water-feature temperature must suit the species and prevent discomfort or distress. §3.151
Birds may not be housed outdoors unless acclimated to the local temperature and humidity. §3.152
Enclosures must let birds stay dry and clean, give shade for every bird at once (including low-ranking ones), and have floors and perches that protect feet and legs. §3.153
A species-appropriate environment enhancement plan is required, approved by the attending veterinarian: social grouping plus enrichment such as perches, swings, objects to manipulate, varied food and foraging or task-oriented feeding. §3.154
Socially dependent birds, such as clutch-mates, must be housed together unless the veterinarian exempts them; birds may only share space with compatible animals. §3.160
The diet must suit the species, size, age and condition of the bird, with potable water in sufficient quantity; pools and water features must be kept clean. §3.155

Source: 9 CFR Part 3, current eCFR text (USDA APHIS Animal Care).

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

80 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

Myhrvold et al. (2015). An amniote life-history database. Ecology 96: 3109 Peer-reviewed researchPeer-reviewed compilation of life-history data for over 21,000 birds, mammals and reptiles.
9 CFR 2.1: Animal Welfare Act licensing (USDA) Zoo, university or veterinaryWho needs a USDA license to breed, sell or exhibit animals.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of pet birds Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of pet birds Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
MSD Veterinary Manual — Nutritional Diseases of Pet Birds Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
EAZA Best Practice Guidelines — Black-winged myna complex (2024) Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) Peer-reviewed researchThe standard global bird checklist maintained by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; used here for complete species lists of widely kept bird families.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.