NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Sri Lanka Hill Myna
Gracula ptilogenys Blyth, 1846
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
The Sri Lanka hill myna or Ceylon myna (Gracula ptilogenys) is a myna, a member of the starling family. This bird is endemic to Sri Lanka.
This passerine is typically found in forest and cultivation. The Sri Lanka myna builds a nest in a hole. The normal clutch is two eggs.
These 25 cm long birds have green-glossed black plumage, purple-tinged on the head and neck. There are large white wing patches, which are obvious in flight. The strong legs are bright yellow, and there are yellow wattles on the nape.
The different shape and position of the wattles and the stouter orange-red bill distinguish this species from the southern hill myna, which also occurs in Sri Lankan forests. The sexes are similar in plumage, but can be distinguished by iris color, which is pale in females and dark in males. Juveniles have a duller bill and smaller wattles, and are less glossy overall.
Like most starlings, the Sri Lanka myna is fairly omnivorous, eating fruit, nectar and insects.
Wikipedia contributors, Sri Lanka hill myna; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T12:26:56.921087+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Gracula ptilogenys Blyth, 1846
- Name authority
- Blyth, 1846
- Common name
- Sri Lanka Hill Myna
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Sturnidae
- Genus
- Gracula
- Extinction status
- Recorded extant
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classAves
- orderPasseriformes
- familySturnidae Rafinesque, 1815
- genusGracula Linnaeus, 1758
- speciesGracula ptilogenys Blyth, 1846
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Gracula. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Hill MynaGracula indica (Cuvier, 1829) | SturnidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Nias Hill MynaGracula robusta Salvadori, 1887 | SturnidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Tenggara Hill MynaGracula venerata Bonaparte, 1850 | SturnidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
| Common Hill MynaGracula religiosa Linnaeus, 1758 | SturnidaeChordata | Accepted speciesRecorded extant |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- Blyth, & Edward. (1846). Notices and Descriptions of various New or Little Known Species of Birds. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, Vol. 15, No. 172. Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:3H5CW. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.