Oregon Zoo displays critically endangered Bali myna to raise awareness

The Oregon Zoo has placed a rare female Bali myna in its public Vollum Aviary, offering visitors a chance to view one of the world's most endangered songbirds.

Also known as the Bali starling, the species is the official bird of Bali, Indonesia and is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Poaching and habitat loss reduced the wild population to just six birds in 2001. Today, fewer than 100 adult Bali mynas are estimated to remain in their native habitat.

The female songbird arrived at the Oregon Zoo in November 2023 through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan, a cooperative breeding program among accredited facilities. She initially lived behind the scenes at the zoo's Avian Reproduction Center with an older male. In 2024, the pair successfully raised a chick that now lives at the Tulsa Zoo. After the male died this summer from age-related setbacks, care staff relocated the female to the Vollum Aviary so she could be around other birds.

Nicole LaGreco oversees the Oregon Zoo's bird population and noted the significance of displaying the bird publicly. “Caring for a Bali myna here is such an amazing opportunity to raise awareness for this species and the threats it is facing,” LaGreco said. “Not long ago, this bird was all but extinct in the wild.”

While habitat loss makes wild breeding difficult, poaching for the illegal pet trade remains the primary threat to the species. Because the bird is highly prized as a pet and serves as an important national symbol in Bali, its value on the black market is high. “The songbird trade is why this species is in such bad shape from a conservation standpoint,” LaGreco said. “Like many wild animals that wind up in the illegal pet trade, Bali mynas have complex care needs that can only be met by people with specialized training at licensed and properly equipped facilities.”

To combat the illegal market, the Wildlife Trafficking Alliance partners with the International Fund for Animal Welfare to discourage keeping wild animals as pets. In Oregon, residents can report suspected illegal animal sales to the Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division hotline at 800-452-7888.