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A video of four common mynas in a loud and excited huddle was posted to the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group on Aug. 31.
Bird Urgent Meeting..
On 1st sept onwards all food trays cannot leave on table..
We must find new ways to source for food...haha.
The caption is a reference to the new regulation that kicks in on Sep. 1, which makes it mandatory for hawker centre diners to clear their own trays and crockery after meals.
Understandably, this is a move that might threaten the birds' bread and butter as abandoned leftovers at public eating places are rich sources of calories.
A heated discussion
In the 30-second video, the four birds could be seen creating a ruckus while appearing to be having an animated conversation along an empty pavement.
Possibly complaining about the state of affairs at the local hawker centres in the past year, or plotting to get their revenge on humans, the birds were puffing up their feathers, and taking turns bobbing their heads vigorously.
Video via Singapore Wildlife Sightings/FB
Though it looked as if all four birds were nodding their heads in strong agreement with one another, the two myna pairs were actually gearing up for a fight.
One commenter explained that it was likely a territorial dispute between two pairs of birds:
Screenshot via Singapore Wildlife Sightings
An emergency meeting for the common mynas
Perhaps such a meeting would be warranted for the endemic common mynas, whose population have declined to become less commonly spotted than the omnipresent Javan mynas.
Javan mynas, on the other hand, were introduced to Singapore, and have proliferated as an invasive species that is in direct competition with our local common mynas.
Compared to their black Javan counterpart, the common myna can be distinguished by their brown body and yellow skin around their eyes.
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Top image via Singapore Wildlife Sightings/FB.