Live in the Philippines

Live in the Philippines helps expats with visas, moving and other services regarding the Philippines.

The Bird

Animals / by

About six months ago Mayang (Mrs. Thompson) came home from the pet store with a bird, and she was very excited with her purchase. Me, not so much, as they don’t seem to do anything, kinda like a cat, it’s just there. I did ask what type of bird it was and no one seemed to be sure of its species. Although Minor bird did come up a lot, but still, no one was quite sure.

So the bird named Martin (first name not last Bob!) sat under the mango tree in its cage and well, just sat there. Do to the vast amounts of rain we’ve had, she was moved to the front of the house under the roofs overhang to shelter her from the hard rain.

This is where we discovered it could and would talk. It also imitates noises it hears; like Trikes, dogs barking and street vendors. We found out about the street vendors the hard way.

My sister-in-law collects all our bottles and cans and takes them home to her house every week. Last week while watching a baseball game I heard a knocking at the gate, and went out to see who it was, it was the “Boti” guy, that’s the guy who collects cans and bottles. I know him and asked what he wanted and he told me, we called him. I smiled and explained that I was by myself and it was not me, but he insisted, that he heard it. And I believed him.

I’d been hearing the bird (Martin) whistle the cat call, and others, plus I knew he could bark. But talk? I don’t think so. The Boti guy and I went out to the street and I asked him to shout his call once more, and the bird answered. He and I cracked up and were on the street joking with each other, about the bird.

I’m not making this up, two days later, my niece came by to use the computer and the bird said; “Si No Ka, Pangit?” or in English: “Who’s you, ugly?” Shay-Shay had tears in her eyes she was laughing so hard, as was I, because we could not understand where Martin (the bird) was learning Tagalog.

Then we noticed our lead doorbell dog Moto-San was staying close to the bird and we didn’t understand why, until I heard the bird continuously calling out his name, which was driving the poor dog bananas. Now the bird knows most of the dog’s names and even its own name. She can say Coco, but not yet “Coco the flying Labrador.”

The downside is we had to explain to our neighbors, that is was not me but the bird shouting to the street “Si No Ka, Pangit? Now we get people stopping at our gate to talk to the bird. She’s becoming quite famous in our Purok.

I am now asking my fellow LiP readers to help me identify what type it is. I’m assuming its female as I do know that it’s the male birds that carry the bright plumage of each species. (As with humans) I’ve included a few photos to aid in our quest. I’ve even searched on the internet but to no avail. I need your help!

Living in the Philippines, is nothing but an adventure! Next week I’ll teach Martin some phrases in English. Hmmmm that should cause a stir!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hilarious Paul! My next door neighbor has a macaw that calls my name occasionally which is OK except it sounds like my ex-! Maybe you can charge admission?

  2. Hey Paul,

    I don’t think it is the Minor bird. By the way, the Minor bird is one of the smartest and most talkative bird around. I haven’t seen a Minor bird with the crest on top of it’s head. It might be in the same family as the Minor bird.

    Art

    • we called that bird MARTINEZ here in the Philippines, it is a black colored bird with the crest on its head, a long pointed beak. a circular white color on its wings that can only be seen when its wings are spread wide. it really can imitate most of the noises around him he often heard. we have once trained the same bird owned by my late uncle which we also called Martin, and we successfully lead him to talking. he wakes my uncle up early every morning asking for coffee, hehe. (But the phrases is in tagalog)

  3. Actually I think you have a Myna Bird, not the one you think of when you hear that name. We have them in Hawaii and they are wild but people domesticate them because the can imitate sounds and such. Hence the name they call it there Minor bird. It looks the same as we have here and does the same so I hope this helps you. If I am wrong I am sure someone is going to tell me. Aloha Alan

    • Thanks Alan;
      No doubt we’ll be corrected if we get it wrong, but we can live with that, we’re tough, and the bird is yakking as I type. If I can teach it to sing country songs I’ll drink beer with her.

  4. Hi Paul;
    I agree with Alan, a Myna Bird, i kept one many years ago, they pick up on noises and speech real quick, but you have to be careful, they can pick up swear words real quick too,lol.

  5. Myna’s are members of the Starling family, there are many varients of Myna’s, which are found throughout Asia.

  6. Looks like a chicken to me………try entering it in a cockfight…..be the first time one opponent trash talks the other in the ring !!!!

  7. Paul..Looks like a over grown black bird to me or a undergrown crow….hi hi hi…but sure it is just a distant relative of those 2 birds…because I never heard a black bird talk or a crow other than make a lot of noise….so this bird must be a smarter version of the 2 mentioned with more brain power…..

    • Dan;
      I was having a beer or three yesterday in our new found sunshine after two weeks of rain, me the dogs and now the talking minor, myna, starling, blackbird, crow and chicken. I wish I could remember what we were talking about!

  8. hi paul

    no i dont know what it is without seeing it in the life but crows can talk very well as i know off one i did see here in australia and he as been on tv and all and can talk just as good as u and me but try a raven may be this is that it is it looks like a crow but i have never seen a crow with eyes like that mate butthay can be a lot off fun to have if thay talk well but dont geting telling it things about your wife or it may tell her back lol heheheh peter martin tassie

    • Peter;
      I’ll quote the raven never more. And try to watch more Australian TV on my Dream Satilite to learn about talking crows. I think I’ll drink somemore beer today after my time on LiP is done.

  9. Hi Paul – Looks like what Dan said except all it does is drop shit on parked cars. I think what you have is what the locals call “Martiniko”.

  10. Jun;
    I’m keeping what ever type of bird it is far away from my cat, just for the reason you stated.
    I just googled Martinko and that bird is different from mine. But while there I found what my bird is, It’s a Martinez, local here in the Philippines. Jun without your help I would never have found out. A tip of my hat to you Mr. Trinidad!!!

  12. hey Paul. Is the bird friendly? I did a google search on the martinez bird and found one for sale for 1000 php. I like birds. I might buy one if they can be tamed.

    art

    • Art:
      Is the bird friendly? Heck if I know, it’s not broke out its cage and assaulted me yet. Would I walk around with it sitting on my shoulder, I think you’d have to have raised it from a chick to do that. But my wife has no trouble putting food and water into her cage without being pecked. I guess I really don’t know.

  13. i was in palawan and a bird that look like this bird said the same thing..you can really bond with birds..they are very smart..i hope you reaseach and learn the right food to feed the bird..also u can trim wing feathers so it cant fly..to leave bird in cage always is bad somtimes they well loose it and start to pluck feathers..if it bites be patiant it well stop that if u show it love..if its the same bird i seen in palawan..it did have a mate..the story i hear was one day the owner wring neck on live chicken then the bird broke its own neck…how cool you got this bird i think you like it already,i think it has good home now..i have had alot of expirience with parrots..sorry i cant spell good

    • Harry;
      I had an African Gray Parrot in my Nightclub in Puerto Rico, and I know a bird will bite your finger prior to climbing on, but that is only to test that it is strong enought to support its weight. My parrot had it’s wings clopped to keep it on its perch behind the bar. But here in 2011 I surrendered all responsibility for the bird to my darling wife. I take care of keeping the beer stocked!

      • African Greys are fun bird Paul…had a short term girl friend some years back, that had 2 of them and their most favorite saying at 5am in the morning was..”wakie up” “wakie up” over and over again…..untill you got up and went up to their special room and let them out of their cage…then they would fly all over the house and come and land on your shoulder and nibble on your ear and talk…and then come and sit at the dinner table and help you eat your food….asked this lady friend one time…How you clean up all the bird poop?…..she said……oh no problem that is what they make vacumns for!But she was full blooded Italian Lady and had to out her from my life in short order…2 many moments of Tampo and at that time did not even know what the word ment…..But, I think the real problem was her birds liked me! I did think the African Greys were a cute and smart bird and still do.

        • Dan;
          I’m afraid my African Gray would swear at everyone in the bar, but I had to prevent the flying as the customers didn’t like cleaning poop out of their hair or drinks. But a very smart bird and fun to be around.

      • Paul,

        Had a cockatiel years ago with my Ex. She had a big indoor plant. When i let the bird out of the cage it would fly to the plant and start taking leaves off and throw them on the floor. She would get so mad at it. It was pearl white and very smart. It would whistle and talk. I used to put water in the kitchen sink. It would walk down my arm from my shoulder and go in the sink and take a bath. Just have to be patient with them. One time i went out to get the mail and forgot the bird was on my shoulder and it flew away. Thought i would never see it again. Well, later that day a guy from a auto dealership a couple of blocks away was at my door with the bird. It flew into there service bay. Only bad think is they crap everywhere and throw there seeds all over the floor. If there is something you don’t want the lovely Mrs Thompson to hear, don’t say it around the bird lol. Thanks so much for another hillarious article, that made my day.

        • Sir Duck;
          I thought your story was funny as well, I don’t worry about my wife hearing bad words, I have to think about a swear before I say one, they don’t come automatically to me and never did. Here’s a funny one about my wife. The first month when the bird was in its cage in the mango tree she would clean the tray on the bottom every day. I was watching this and suggested she just remove it completely and let everything fall on the plants below. She liked that idea.

  14. Hi Paul – There seems to be no doubt after doing a little bit of online research you have a Mynah bird probably a Hill Mynah the most common of the species.
    I was laughing at the antics of your Mynah as a friend of mine kept one when I lived in Nigeria and he claimed it was and Indian Mynah bird. This particular bird was the best mimic I have ever heard there was nothing it could not say or repeat so be careful when you have people around for drinks that you don’t give away any secrets as they will not be secrets for very long.
    I had an African Grey parrot but although a good talker and mimic he was not a patch on the Mynah bird who is the professional in the mimic business.
    Long may Martin keep you entertained but don’t let him out of the cage as although he may be good at talking he’ll lose the argument with a dogs jaws.
    Regards.
    Jim.

    • Jim;
      My African Gray had to be taught to say a phrase, Martin the wonder bird picks up everything on her own. So I’ll agree with you there. Since he lives outside I doubt if she’ll get to much flying in, and her cage is to high for the dogs to reach. But I did get to thinking about that Monty Python bit about the parrot in the pet shop, John Cleech said to Eric Palin: “It wouldn’t voom out that cage if you put 20 thousand volts up it’s arse, it’s feet are nailed to the perch, the bloody parrot is dead!” That was funny!

        • Hi Allan:
          When I looked it up I found it was a “Martinez” or what it’s called here in the Philippines. If it has another name I can’t find it, but it is the bird I have. I going back to my beer and not worrying about it again, it’s less work. (lol)

  15. hi paul,

    it looks like a lyre bird to me, I am not really sure as the eyes are yellow and the tail is kinda short, maybe it’s a lyre bird but a philippine version.

    here’s what a lyre bird looked like

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjE0Kdfos4Y

    martiniko/mynah has a yellow beak with a yellow stripe on the side of its head.

    • Hi Dans;
      Good video but a lyre bird Martin is not even close. It might live its entire life without us knowing what species it is, but she’ll still crack me up every day.

  16. Paul
    Well seeing that the first words and phrases Americans learn in Tagalog are cursing/swears the least you could do is to teach the Filipino bird American swear/cursing phrases, and actually that would fit right in with the terminology “swear like a Sailor”.

    • Neal;
      I won’t teach it anything, as that would subtract from beer time, and when that happens this old sailor will start swearing like a Marine Drill Sargent. (lol)

  17. Hi Paul,
    Sorry I don’t know what type of bird this is, but it reminds me of a bird I saw as a kid in 1979 the first time we drove to Florida on vacation. We stopped by a “gator farm” to see the gators and other “exotic” animals and while in the lobby I spotted a bird cage with a black bird perched inside. I walked over to get a closer look and when I was standing right beside the cage the bird cocked his head and said “what are you lookin’ at?” Still funny.

    • Steve:
      Funny story, I lived for years off and on in Florida, and would always stop at a Gator Ranch anytime I saw a new one. I don’t know why the fascinate me, but they do.

  18. Hi Paul, Mynah bird. Saw them last June in Davao Crocodile Park. Have some colorful vocabulary and whistling to girls passing by. Also asking “What’s your name, pangit? lol. Took a lot of picture and video of that bird.

    Mars

  19. Hi paul we have the african miner bird here it is a real pest to the native birds taking there habitat so they cant breed i think at one point they were even going to have a yearly cull of them to try to keep them under control the ones we have are lighter in color and smaller than that one i rekon it might be a crow
    chris

  20. Whatever kind it is, make sure it is not in a steel cage.
    I had two Myna parrots and they got killed by a lightning strike because the cage was not properly grounded. Your cage must be properly electrically insulated, made from plastic or wood.
    Actually the strike was so close that the dog was traumatized as well and I felt it all the way to my knees. I was standing bare feet on wet concrete,… not very smart!

    • Robert;
      The wooden cage I had in Puerto Rico looked so nice, but I learned that my two Puerto Rican Green Parrots would chew right through it. But I will remember your advice and watch out during thunder storms. I hope your dog came through will no harm, I won’t even asked about the bird.

  23. Hello, I see you found out in the comments above that this is a Martinez bird. Very cool, I’ve never heard of it before. It looks like a Myna bird (in particular, a Javan Myna or a Jungle Myna, but with a few differences). I wonder if they’re related species… I can’t seem to find much information on the Martinez.

    It’s a gift to have a talented and smart bird like that. But, what does the bird have for entertainment? Does it have any toys or things to chew on, bells to ring, ropes to climb? I can’t see the whole cage here, but it looks kind of bare. A smart and social animal needs things to do. He either will need let out of the cage sometimes and petted, or at very least get some toys. Maybe even a companion. If they can’t be kept together, then even neighboring cages so they can communicate would be good.

    Martin seems to make everyone very happy. He deserves to be happy too.

  24. It’s called the martinez bird in local language. I don’t know what it’s called in English. Our neighbour used to have one. It fell out of its nest from the coconut tree and she raised the chick until it was full grown. They taught it to speak and it was quite tame. They would let it out of its cage during the day where it would hover around their house flitting from tree to tree and kept it in a cage at night. It was a very intelligent bird which would imitate many sounds it heard.

  25. Hi Paul. Just browsed through this topic today as I have bought the same bird variety yesterday I am finding ways of how to take care of it . It is called “Martinez” locally & it’s called a “crowned Mynah” in english.

  27. Sir, I have a couple of that type of bird, 4 months old. We called it Martinez here in P.I.

  28. i’ve also have that kind of bird called martinez since last month but they can’t speak yet, maybe its too young for that stage and need to be train,otherwise they are very energetic and smart but im looking proper ways on how to take care of it also proper food to feed them as of now the food that i gave them is chickbooster is that correct?pls. give me some advice or suggestion regarding this matter tanx!!!

    • Rowell;
      After 3 years with our bird he passed on a few months ago. I don’t think I’d be the right guy to advise you on caring for another one as I failed.

  29. i have 2 birds like yours
    its called martinez
    from mynah family i think
    not yet talking but planning to teach them myself.. hehe

  30. actually the name of the bird is martaniko a (Myna Bird) also….in other name it was (martin bird)….in philippines so many species of Myna birds from (Luzon,Visayas and mindanao) in luzon is (Palawan Myna),in Visayas (Negros Myna) so called Martin Bird) but i dont know what they call Myna Birds from Mindanao…..