Javan Myna with yellow collar

Samson Tan encountered a Javan Myna (Acridotheres javanicus) with a yellow collar at Singapore’s Dairy Farm area (left) and posted an account in his blog.

Puzzled by this strange colouration of the myna, he returned to the location the next week after a heavy rain. He was pleasantly surprised to see more Javan Mynas with yellow collars.

As many of the mynas were then collecting nectar from the flowers of the African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata), Samson wondered whether the pollen from these flowers could be the cause.

According to nature consultant R Subaraj, “Based on the sprinkling effect of yellow on the upper breast, I would concur that it is pollen. This could have happened when the myna leaned into the blossom. African tulip blossoms may be the source and it is not the first time that such marks have been seen on Javan Mynas, after they have foraged in the African tulip blossoms.”