Common Myna vs Northern Gannet
Acridotheres tristis compared with Morus bassanus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Common Myna | Northern Gannet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Acridotheres tristis | Morus bassanus |
| Order | Passeriformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Sturnidae | Sulidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 25.0 cm (9.8 in) | 93.0 cm (36.6 in) |
| Wingspan | 38.0 cm (15.0 in) | 180.0 cm (70.9 in) |
| Weight | 120.0 g (4.23 oz) | 3000.0 g (105.82 oz) |
| Diet | Omnivorous — insects, fruit, grain, and kitchen scraps. Bold and opportunistic around human settlements. | Shoaling fish, especially mackerel, herring, and capelin. Plunge-dives from heights of 30 meters at speeds … |
| Clutch Size | 2-6 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Common Myna
Urban areas, farmland, and open woodland. Closely associated with humans and one of the most successful avian urban colonizers.
Northern Gannet
Open ocean and coastal waters. Breeds in dense colonies on steep rocky islands and sea stacks.
Song & Call Comparison
Common Myna
A noisy, cackling chatter and melodious whistling mixed together. An accomplished mimic of other birds and sounds. Gives repeated 'mee-ow' and harsh 'quarr' alarm calls.
Northern Gannet
Loud, harsh 'urrah-urrah' grunting and croaking at breeding colonies on sea stacks. Also gives a softer 'karrr' in flight. Large colonies are extremely noisy during the breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
Common Myna
Native to South and Southeast Asia. Introduced and invasive in Australia, South Africa, Middle East, and many Pacific islands.
Northern Gannet
North Atlantic, breeding from Newfoundland and Gulf of St. Lawrence to Norway, Iceland, and Britain. Winters at sea south to the tropics.
Conservation Status
Common Myna
Northern Gannet
How to Tell Them Apart
Common Myna
Brown body with a glossy black hood, yellow bill, and bare yellow skin behind the eye. White wing patches conspicuous in flight. Yellow legs.
Strong, slightly curved yellow bill
Northern Gannet
Brilliant white body with black wingtips and a golden-yellow wash on the head and nape. Blue-grey bill with dark lines and pale blue eye-ring.
Long, straight, pointed, pale blue-grey bill with serrated edges
About These Birds
Common Myna
The common myna has been named one of the world's 100 worst invasive species by the IUCN. Originally from South Asia, it has been introduced to tropical regions worldwide where it outcompetes native birds for nest cavities. Despite its invasive status, the myna is an intelligent and charismatic bird capable of mimicking human speech.
Northern Gannet
The northern gannet is a spectacular plunge-diver, folding its two-meter wingspan into an arrow shape to hit the water at up to 100 km/h. Air sacs under the skin and a reinforced skull protect it from the impact. Bass Rock in Scotland hosts over 150,000 gannets, the largest single colony of any seabird in the world.