Jody Stephenson of Hastings is used to small feathered animals. She grew up with aviary birds, chickens, ducks and a pet starling so it was easy to foster two myna birds. Video / Warren Buckland
By Warrren Buckland
Hastings woman Jody Stephenson feeds her pets a diet of mincemeat, baby formula, fruit and insects and the sometimes “destructive” myna birds seem to bask in her human affection.
Growing up as a child with aviary birds, chickens, ducks and a pet starling, it came as nosurprise to Stephenson to find two little bald baby myna birds scrambling round in the dust on the ground.
It seemed they had fallen from their nest in the horse stable on Stephenson’s Hastings lifestyle block.
“I knew that they were mynas so I picked them up and my partner Nathan took one look at them and said, ‘no’.
Mynas have a strong territorial instinct and are commonly seen throughout most of the North Island. It is believed the breed was introduced to New Zealand in the 1870′s to take on invertebrate pests.
Jody Stephenson's 'pet' myna birds at her lifestyle block in Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland
Forming robust bonds the birds pair for life and enthusiastically defend their nest and territory. They have been known to dive-bomb people and animals when defending their patch, and that patch is spreading throughout the moderate climate areas of New Zealand.
Stephenson said they love her horses, they ride, hang out, groom and leave footprints on the horses’ backs.
“The horses seem to accept them though the foal at times gets a little annoyed and will try to flick them off her back with her tail.”
Stephenson said they even eat the beetles out of the horses’ poo.
Horses can often get scared and shy away from birds that suddenly rush up at them from the ground, but the horses have got used to them being around. But the birds have benefits for the animals too.
“It has been really cute and good to have them hang out and desensitise the horses as well.”
The birds are up at dawn and feed before they fly off for the day and then come back in the evening and have another nibble at the buffet.
As babies they were hand fed and Stephenson is happy to carry on feeding them.
And what do these small, feathered omnivores eat?
Their diet includes mincemeat, baby formula, fruit and insects, but it is often supplemented by eating insects and possums found on the side of the road.
The pet birds have been useful helping to keep the garden pests under control and removing caterpillars found on flowers in the garden.
If you were thinking this might be a good hobby, Stephenson said it may pay to think again. She warned you need to be careful leaving doors open as they fly in and out.
“You end up cleaning bird poo inside your house all day.”
Jody Stephenson says the mynas like interacting with people and enjoy human company. Photo / Warren Buckland
They are always on the go and won’t leave you alone. Stephenson said. “They are in your face all the time and have no boundaries.”
On the plus side they know when she arrives home and come flying in and land on her arms, head or shoulders.
“It really is such a sweet thing to see them. It just warms the heart.”
Stephenson believes that the mynas want to be with her. They are motivated beyond food, she said. and they like interacting and being in human company.
“They will hang out inside the house for a couple of hours after being fed”.
The birds are up at dawn and feed before they fly off for the day and then come back in the evening to have another nibble at the buffet. Photo/ Warren Buckland
Pointing out their negative traits she said, “They can be a little bit destructive and get into everything. But I love them”.
And she’s aware it is not a short-term affair - mynas can live up to 25-years-old.
