Sandy Storkie, age 13, of North Huntingdon, Penn., for his question:

WHAT IS A MYNA BIRD?

Several birds in the starling family are called myna birds. They are native to India, Burma and other parts of Asia.

The common house myna is a bold, fearless bird that is somewhatlarger than a robin. His color ranges from a rich wine brown on the lower breast to a deep black on the head, neck and upper breast. He has a splash of white on the lower edge of his wings while his legs and bill are bright yellow.

The talking myna is sometimes kept as a pet. This clever bird can imitate the human voice, and can talk, sing and even whistle.

The crested myna has long feathers on his forehead. This handsome bird can now be found in Japan, the Philippines and British Columbia.