Hi Tweets,

For anyone planning to visit Vancouver BC Canada to see CRESTED MYNA
Acridotheres cristatellus, here's some fairly reliable locations and some ID
tips. And you may want to do it really soon, because they're fading fast (no
local interest in conservation of a mere introduced bird no matter how many
bird-tourist bucks it brings in to the city). Another decade or two will
likely see them entirely extirpated from Greater Vancouver: besides
encouraging widespread demolition of older buildings ('heritage' is a dirty
word to the corporate machine that runs Vancouver BC), which often afforded
the mynas nesting crevices and cavities, the city has assiduously cleaned
out nest-site snag trees from its streets and parks. I've put these lists
together from what I remember from my Vancouver RBA days, so any errors are
mine and are likely due to the passage of time.

I.D. & Behavioral tips:

--less similar to a European Starling Sturnus vulgaris than you'd think.

--Basal crest on forehead imparts a squarehead look to bird. The white eye
is centrally placed, yellow bill of adults is conspicuous.

--Flies like a jay, not a starling; white wingflashes are big and *conspicuous*.

--perched, look for a stocky, loggerhead starling on light standards
(favorite perch), *uncommonly* on telephone wires, scuffling around on the
ground; unlike starlings, really likes to get under shrubbery to
forage--imagine a bird looking for cigarette butts.

--Voice is often best cue for location, a deliberately-uttered, rather
throaty "cheroot, cheroot, cheroot" usually in couplets and triplets,
sometimes hard chattering notes. They seem to leave mimicry to the starlings.

--On the ground, the deliberate strides and bouncy hops are more reminiscent
of a crow than the rather tick-tock style of a starling.

--nesting, mynas like older buildings with crevice, drainage or vent areas
leading to interior cavities affording the stable temperature regimes the
myna prefers.

NOTE: --the connection to fast-food outlets and dumpsters is one of those
local myths which, like the Bermuda Triangle hoax, local people keep
repeating without bothering to see if it's true. It isn't. Local *birders*
were more likely to be found in or near the fast-food outlets when they saw
mynas in the general vicinity, so there's a connection all right, but it's
not got much to do with the birds. When foraging, mynas prefer alleyways,
small trees, shrubbery hedges with space to get beneath, parking lots, open
spaces in built-up areas. If there's one thing mynas seem to like
consistently as a forage area it's hedges with small trees around them.



CityTips:
1) In Vancouver, the dividing line between E and W Avenue numbers is Yukon
St in E Van.
2) Street and avenue nos. in Greater Vancouver progress in sequentially
increasing or decreasing blocks of one hundred, i.e., if you're currently in
the 3300-block W 4th Ave, the next block to the W will be the 3400-block;
similarly, if on 3300-block *E* 4th, the next block to the E will be the
3400-block. The adjacent block is always either 100 greater than or 100
smaller than the block you're on.
3) N is always towards the mountains, anywhere in Greater Vancouver.
4) *Don't* leave stuff in your car; we're a big city too.

LOCATIONS

note--these mynas don't stray very far from nest sites, two-to six-block
radius seems typical, but when not breeding they used to get together in
flocks up to 15 birds, combined ads & juvs. If you see a pair, they're
likely nesting somewhere fairly close, probably within a two-block radius.

VANCOUVER

--West 2nd and Pine St., may be nesting in large mustard-colored building at
the corner; look in four-block radius, often in the alleways, especially
toward West 4th Ave to the S and toward Burrard Street to the W.

--The Arthur Laing Bridge between Richmond on the S and Vancouver on the N;
on two ramps, both at the *North* or Vancouver end of the bridge. One nest
on the approach ramp to the bridge from S Granville St and the other on the
exit ramp onto Marine Drive East. On the right hand side of each is a sign
saying "Arthur J. Laing Bridge"; the birds nest in the hollow pipe to which
the sign is affixed ("great view but, oh my, the traffic noise...."). The
best vantage point is from the S end of Hudson or Cartier Sts. in the
vicinity of West 73rd Avenue, beneath the various ramps. As Kyle Elliott
mentions, also in the vicinity of the large 'Airport Square' high-rise
office building--to expand a bit, particularly in the shrubbery along the N
side.

--East 1st Ave and Victoria St., E VCR. Nesting in the telephone pole on the
SE corner.

--Main & E 10th, E VCR. One, possibly two, nests in building on SW(?)
corner, facing Main St

--Vicinity of Kingsgate Mall, 300-bl E B'way & Kingsway, E VCR

--Cambie & W. 1st Ave, VCR (False Creek)

--Victoria Drive & E. 1st Ave, telephone pole on SE corner, E VCR

--West 41st Ave and West Boulevard in Vancouver. Nesting pair in the Bank of
Montreal red-brick building on the SW corner. Used to be a most reliable
pair but they were displaced by construction near and on this building in
1996, but may still be in the vicinity. They nest in the pipe above the
stylised 'M' in the 'B of M' logo above the Automatic Teller on the corner.
Best viewpoint is from the NW corner. There seems to be a favorite forage
area to the SE somewhere past the London Drugs. Otherwise watch for them
fossicking about on the ground along the RR trax. On a miserable day, one
can sit in MacD's on the corner & sit on the side facing the trax, watching
for these little guys over coffee & Big Mac.


RICHMOND

--Minoru Pk, Richmond. A major park at the intersection of Granville *Ave*
(G'ville *St.* in Vancouver) and Gilbert Rd. in the northern part of
Richmond, a municipality immediately to the S of Vancouver. Exit from the
freeway (Hwy 99) westbound onto the Westminster Highway, go to Gilbert and
turn L: the park will be on your L. The pair here are almost certainly
nesting in a tree cavity.

--Steveston Highway & Railway Ave Nesting in a power pole on the SE corner.
Steveston is in the S part of Richmond.

--Richmond High School, 7171 Minoru Blvd, RMD (may be same pr. as in Minoru Pk).


NEW WESTMINSTER

--Westminster Quay Public Market, 810 Quayside W, S end of 8th St., New
Westminster. New West is a municipality to the SE of Vancouver. Since I
don't drive, I'm not sure what the directions are, but if you're willing to
use public transit, take the SkyTrain to New Westminster Station, cross
Columbia Street, cross over the pedestrian overpass and you're there. Also
seen in the railroad yards 3-4 blocks to the W.


KNOWN DEFUNCT SITES

--W. Broadway & Burrard St in Vancouver. Used to be seen in the vicinity of
the Esso station on the NE corner, was nesting in a power pole in the
immediate area.

--W. Broadway and MacDonald in Vancouver. Displaced by demolition of old
buidling in which it nested.

--Valley Drive & Yew St. in Vancouver.


OTHER LOCATIONS (variable reliability; some may be defunct)

Abbrvs:
VCR Vancouver
E VCR East Vancouver, the eastern section of VCR
N VCR North Vancouver, a municipality to the N of VCR
NW WST New Westminster, a municipality directly to the SE of VCR
RMD Richmond, a municipality directly S of VCR
BBY Burnaby, a municipality directly to the E of VCR

--Heather St & W. 8th Ave, VCR
--Broadway & Arbutus, VCR
--Balsam St & W 4th Ave, VCR
--1000-block Parker St., E VCR
--Waterfront Park, N VCR
--Clark Ave & Charles St., E VCR
--Prince Albert & E. Broadway, E VCR
--W. 32nd Ave & West Boulevard or Arbutus St
--Wylie St & E 1st Ave, E VCR
--Main St & Marine Drive, SE VCR
--Moffitt & Granville Rd, RMD
--Lonsdale Rd & 11th St, N VCR
--Columbia & E 8th, E VCR


There's may be more, but that's what I remember in the immediate Vancouver
area. Hope it helps. Good luck!

Michael Price A brave world, Sir,
Vancouver BC Canada full of religion, knavery and change;
mprice at mindlink.net we shall shortly see better days.
Aphra Behn (1640-1689)