Mynahs

We are lucky to be posted to jungles , with its green coverage . It provides a habitat for numerous birds , and on one's morning walks , one invariably sees one or the other bird , which is unique to this part of the country . 

 I often say that for every kilometre covered , you at least see 10 different species of birds . This thumb rule has held true for most of the last three stations we have been posted  . Hopefully , it will continue , for the next few too . 

First the common birds . What is common to one place becomes uncommon to the other place . I discovered this of late . 

The mynahs . They are numerous , raucous and you see them everywhere . But here, in West bengal , I have seen more varieties of mynah than anywhere else .  The common mynah , as the name goes , is quite common . It has a yellow eye mask , and has yellow feet ( like gumboots ) , and marches regally , when landing on your lawn . One colourful author described them as French Gendarmes .It also keeps itself to the periphery , wary of humans . Unlike babblers , who hop , skip and jump , as close to the sapiens , as possible . 

Then there are pied mynahs( or pied starlings ) , which have a black and white body , orangish bill and behave very much like their common cousins . They also have orange eye masks , instead of yellow .

The jungle mynahs , have no eye masks , instead they have a beady black , yellow ringed eye , with a rakish tuft of black hair right above their beak . They are more slender and agile than other mynahs .

The brahminy starling , is a close relative , and has a pious black streak of hair running down their heads . Rest of the head is ashy . The body is orange underside with grey ash  wings . It , like its name suggests , keeps to itself , Mingles with other brahmin folk , and rarely comes down from its perch , even when food is provocatively scattered in their path . 

Then comes grey headed starling . It looks old , and wise . Owing to its head of grey . Rarely seen . Mostly on treetops .

Bank mynah was visible only in Punjab , that too in the holes of the walls of a culvert bypass, where they nested in vast numbers . They look like ash necked crows , except for smaller sizes , yellow feet and orange / brick red peri orbital skin.