[5] The specific epithet was chosen to honour Walter Rothschild who had allowed Stresemann to examine birds at his museum in Tring, Hertfordshire, England.
[8] The black-winged myna (Acridotheres melanopterus), a similar species, has a shorter crest and a much larger area of black on wings and tail, plus a yellow eye-ring (without feathers) and legs.
In its natural habitat it is inconspicuous, using tree tops for cover and–unlike other starlings–usually coming to the ground only to drink or to find nesting materials; this would seem to be an adaptation to its noticeability to predators when out in the open.
[1] A "breeding loan" involves 12 breeders who each received 15 male and 15 female myna birds from the Association of Starling Conservationists in Bogor, West Java.
The breeders are obliged to release 10 percent of the brood into West Bali National Park and the rest can be sold off privately.
[11] There is one pair of Bali Mynas at the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that are part of the Species Survival Program.
The islands have been transformed into an unofficial bird sanctuary by Friends of National Parks Foundation (FNPF), an Indonesian NGO based in Bali.
Since then, FNPF has rehabilitated and released several endangered birds onto the island of Nusa Penida, including many Bali mynas supplied from multiple breeders.
The birds will continue to be sourced from different breeders to increase the genetic diversity of the growing wild population on Nusa Penida.
[15] In 2010, Begawan Foundation made a decision to move all its captive breeding Bali starlings from Nusa Penida to a new site at Sibang, near Ubud.
[citation needed] In November 2012, Begawan Foundation released four pairs of Bali starlings at its breeding site in Sibang.
These birds were observed and their daily habits recorded by staff of the Foundation and students of the adjacent Green School.
However, it is evident that new sources of fruit and a variety of insects are available in the immediate vicinity that provide a full and healthy diet for these birds and their offspring.
It is also envisaged that the community will be responsible for the safety of the Bali Starlings in the wild through serious monitoring and village traditional law enforcement.
It is hoped that the soft releases will give the offspring the chance to reproduce in the wild and that a program of eco-tourism can be developed to provide income for the village.