Bali Mynah (Leucopsar rothschildii)

Local name : White starling, Bali starling, Jalak Bali, Curik Bali

Conservation status :  Red Data Book IUCN since 1966 as critically endangered
species (Thohari et al., 1991)
 Appendix 1 CITES since 1978

Classification : Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordo : Passeriformes
Family: Sturnidae
Genus: Leucopsar
Species: Leucopsar rotschildii (Stressmann, 1912)

Morphology : - Feather 90% in white color, in the tip of the wing feather
and tail feather we can find black color width 25 cm
- Eyes circled by blue eyelid, pointed beak with size 2-3 cm
length colored yellow-brownish in the tip
- Male has a crest
- Bird size measured from the tip of the beak to the tip of tail
is approximately 25 cm, head 5 cm length, neck 2 cm
length, wing 13 cm length, tail 6 cm length
- Body weight 107.75 gram, with 11-12 feather in the wing,
and 17-18 feather in the tail
(Gepak, 1986 in Thohari et al., 1991)

Population and Habitat : According to Thompson and Brown (2001) in 1984 the
population of Bali mynah in the wilderness in Bali was
estimated 125-180 birds. In 1988 the number became 37
birds, and 1990 the number decreased to 12-18 birds. In
1998 researcher estimated that the number of Bali mynah
ranged between 10-14 birds and all were male.

Bali mynah are likely to live in mangrove habitat, swamp

forest, and savanah (Alikodra, 1987) and Balen et al. (2000).
In Indonesia Bali mynah can be found mainly in Bali island,
especially in West Bali National Park (TNBB) (Thohari et al.,
1991). According to Alikodra (1987) Bali mynah were
detected in Tegal Bunder, Lampu Merah, Batu Gondang,
Prapat Agung, Batu Licin and Teluk Brumbun (Bali island)
Behavior and reproduction : Bali mynah are likely to fly in a group, in a seasonal breeding
between Septembers – December they fly in couple while
searching for food. This species nesting behavior are by
making hole in trees with height 2.5 to 7 meter from the
ground.

Alikodra (1987) and Mas’ud (2010) mentioned Bali mynah as

monogamous species, that’s means that one male only has
1 female in a seasonal breeding, the sex ration is 1:1 and
both male and female start to breed at 7-9 month old with
maximum egg produced 3 eggs. Thompson and Brown
(2001) stated that Bali mynah still active to breed until 17
years old for male and 12 years old for female

Disease : Thompson (2001) reported that the major disease could

attack Bali mynah population are atoxoplasmosis,
hemochromatosis and chlamidia. Atoxoplasmosis is a
disease caused by coccidian and infected the lymphoid
system and intestine epithelial. Infected sporulated oocyst
can be swallowed and start to cause disease in the young
bird with age between 3 to 8 weeks. In older bird infection will
go asymptomatic and it is believed that the parasite can be
transmitted vertically.

Based on Sandmeier, there are several disease usually

occurred in mynahs including
Infectious:
E. coli, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, Campylobacter
Pseudomonas, Candida, PMV-1

Parasitic:
Coccidia, Trichomonas, Ascaridia, Capillaria, Cestodes
 Conservation : The conservation efforts to save the Bali mynah species has
been conducting in-situ and ex-situ. In 1980 the government
of Indonesia reported successfully breed the Bali mynah in
Surabaya zoo. In 1987, Indonesia received 40 birds from
some zoos in the United States. Those birds were used in a
breeding program and population restocking to their nature
habitat
In the present day, the ex-situ conservation program has
been successfully carrying out by some Non-Governmental
Organization, which one of them is Friends of the National
Parks Foundation (FNPF). The NGO did population
restocking program in Nusa Penida island (southern Bali).
According to the monitoring program period 28 January to 12
February 2013, the population of Bali mynah in the re-
introduction area in Nusa Penida Island was 25 birds (Riany
and Ainurohim, 2013). Another ex-situ conservation efforts
have been carrying out by local people in both Bali and Java
island (Azis, 2013).

Sources:

Aditya Saiful Azis, 2013, Teknik Penangkaran dan Aktivitas Harian Jalak Bali (Leucopsar
rotschildii Stressmann 1912) di Penangkaran UD Anugrah, Kediri Jawa Timur,
Departemen Konservasi Sumber Daya HUtan dan Ekowisata, Institut Pertanian
Bogor, Indonesia
Alikodra, HS. 1987. Masalah pelestarian jalak bali. Media Konservasi 3(4).

Balen, Dirgayusa IWA, Putra IMWA, Prins HHT. 2000. Status and distribution of
the endemic Bali Starling (Leucopsar rothschildi). Oryx 34(3): 188197.

Citra F. Riany dan Aunurohim, 2013, Populasi Burung Jalak Bali (Leucapsar rothschildii,
Stressmann 1912) Hasil Pelepasliaran di Desa Ped dan Hutan Tembeling Pulau
Nusa Penida, Bali, Jurusan Biologi, Fakultas Matematika dan Ilmu Pengetahuan
Alam, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh November (ITS), Indonesia

Mas’ud B. 2010. Teknik Menangkarkan Burung Jalak di Rumah. Bogor: IPB Press.

Sandmeier P, Coutteel P., 2006, Management of canaries, finches and mynahs. In:
Clinical Avian Medicine, Vol. 2 (eds, GJ Harrison, TL, Lightfoot) Spix Publishing,
Palm Beach, pp. 896-897
Thohari M, Mas’ud B, Mansjoer SS, Sumantri C, Muntasib EKS H, Hikmat A. 1991. Studi
perbandingan polimorfisme protein jalak bali (Leocopsar rothschildii) hasil
penangkaran dari Indonesia, Amerika dan Inggris [laporan hasil penelitian]. Bogor:
Fakultas Kehutanan Institut pertanian Bogor.

Thompson SD, Brown E. 2001. North American regional studbook for the Bali Mynah
(Leucopsar rothschildii). Chicago: Department of Conservation and Science
Lincoln Park Zoo.