mynah

[prettygoodword]

mynah or myna (MAI-nuh) - n., any of several south-Asian starlings (genus Gracula and related genera) some species of which are kept as pets for their ability to mimic speech.


The most common pet is the common hill myna (Gracula religiosa):


Thanks, Wikimedia!

Who's a pretty bird? The name was adopted in the 1760s from Hindi mainā, from Sanskrit madana, delightful/joyful, related to madati, it gladdens lit. it bubbles, from PIE root *mad-, moist/wet.

---L.

Comments

[thistleingrey]

I didn't know that the myna is a starling-cousin!

[prettygoodword]

I didn't either till I was putting together this post. Mynah is, actually, in the Hindi name generically of all south Asian members of the starling family, regardless of whether they're mimic species.