Southern Hill Myna
- Distribution: Found in the Western Ghats of India, Sri Lanka, and parts of Southeast Asia.
- Habitat: Evergreen and moist deciduous forests, wooded areas near human settlements.
- Diet: Omnivorous, feeding on fruits, insects, small vertebrates, and occasionally scavenging on human food scraps.
- Size: Typically around 25-30 cm in length.
Gracula indica, often known as the southern hill myna, belongs to the starling family. It lives in the forested areas of Sri Lanka and south India. In the forest, this species travels in flocks, and flock members communicate with one another using a variety of vocalizations.
The plumage of the southern hill myna is glossy black. Typically, it is twenty centimeters in size. It has a 15–30 year lifespan. The beak is brilliant orange at the base and yellow at the tip; the legs are yellow. On the main remiges, there are white specks. The southern hill myna shares yellow wattles on its head with other species of hill myna.
Southwest India and Sri Lanka are home to the southern hill myna. It lives in plantation areas, mountains, mangrove forests, and dry broadleaf forests in tropical and subtropical regions.
It is frequently found on trees near the edge of the forest, high in the canopy, traveling in noisy, huge groups of around six. It hops along the branch sideways. The hill myna is an omnivore that consumes fruit, nectar, and insects like most other starlings.
It has a pleasant voice and can make a variety of croaks and calls. The hill myna is regarded as one of the most skilled talkers; it can mimic human speech and sounds more accurately than parrots.