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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

'Regulars': Hitchhiking birds catch Sydney train commuters by surprise

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Two common myna birds have become regular passengers on Sydney’s North Shore Line, traveling between Lindfield and Artarmon.
  • A video of the birds attracted more than 4.6 million views after producer Jackie Dent shared it online.
  • BirdLife Australia’s Sean Dooley said the birds’ ability to live alongside humans showed their intelligence.

Two common myna birds have become familiar passengers on Sydney’s North Shore Line, perching on train seats during quieter periods.

They weren't fluttering around. They were very relaxed, they were very at home.

· Jackie DentShe described seeing the two birds on a Sydney train.

702 ABC Sydney Drive producer Jackie Dent filmed the pair after spotting them on a Sunday morning train from Roseville. A guard told her the birds were “regulars” that traveled between Lindfield and Artarmon each day, a journey of about seven to 10 minutes.

They're not trapped. They're regulars. They just commute.

· Train guardThe guard explained that the birds routinely traveled on the line.

The video has received more than 4.6 million views. Other passengers have shared stories of birds boarding trains, eating food and getting off when they hear the train chimes. Dent has also seen a pigeon commuting on Sydney trains, while the guard mentioned another pair traveling between North Sydney and Milsons Point and a bird named Archie that once regularly rode trains in North Sydney.

Love to hate.

· Sean DooleyThe BirdLife Australia representative described birdwatchers’ mixed attitude toward common mynas.

Sean Dooley of BirdLife Australia initially thought the video had been made with artificial intelligence. He said birdwatchers often “love to hate” common mynas, but added that their ability to live alongside people showed their intelligence. He described them as closely tied to human habitation and skilled at making use of the food and other resources found there.

But you have to admire their intelligence.

· Sean DooleyHe praised the birds’ ability to live alongside humans.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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