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Noisy MinerAlternate name(s): "Garrulous Honey-eater", "Snakebird", "Cherry-eater", "Squeaker", "Soldierbird", "Mickey*" ![]() Size: 25-28 cm; wing span 36-45 cm Weight: 55-65 g |
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Similar |
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See Noisy
Miner at Wikipedia |
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Photos |
Race "melanocephala"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Frontal view of an adult Noisy Miner on a grevillea (photo courtesy
of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, July 2015]
Lateral view of a Noisy Miner (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centenial Park, Sydney, NSW, August 2015]
Race "lepidota"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Close-up frontal view of an adult Noisy Miner
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]
Frontal view of a curious Noisy Miner checking out the photographer
[Near Narrabri, NSW, January 2006]
Close-up near-frontal view of a Noisy Miner
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]
Close-up near-frontal view of a Noisy Miner (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Cressbrook, near Toowoomba, QLD, July 2017]
Close-up near-lateral view of a Noisy Miner
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2008]
An upset Noisy Miner squawking at the intruder that unknowingly had
come too close to its lair
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 1997]
Close-up lateral view of a Noisy Miner (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Cressbrook, near Toowoomba, QLD, July 2017]
Lateral view of a Noisy Miner on the rim of another water bowl
(photo courtesy of R. Druce)
[Maules Creek, NSW, January 2013]
Close-up view of a preening Noisy Miner (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Cressbrook, near Toowoomba, QLD, July 2017]
Mob of Noisy Miners making a nuisance of themselves (photo courtesy
of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, July 2013]
Noisy Miner checking out an Australian Magpie
[Near Narrabri, NSW, 2006]
Noisy Miner banking to land in a tree
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2018]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a juvenile Noisy Miner
[Kempsey, NSW, October 2013]
Frontal view of a juvenile Noisy Miner in a grevillea (photo courtesy
of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, November 2013]
Fledgling Noisy Miners (photo courtesy of E.
Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, October 2016]
Precocial Noisy Miner chick that has fled its nest rather a bit too
early; it was found squawking while the parents did their best to
feed the youngster that could not fly yet
[Urunga, NSW, August 2015]
Race "leachi"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
Lateral view of an adult Noisy Miner (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Hobart, TAS, March 2016]
Lateral view of an adult Noisy Miner (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Hobart, TAS, March 2016]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: May - Jan | Eggs: 2 - 3 | Incubation period: 16 days | Fledging age: 17 - 19 days |
Given the right conditions, Noisy Miners can breed any time of the year.
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Twigs, grass | Height above ground: 1 - 20 m |
Two Noisy Miner chicks in their nest in a
casuarina,
begging for food (photo courtesy of E.
Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, October 2016]
Noisy Miner chick being fed
(photo courtesy of E.
Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, October 2016]
Noisy Miner chick peeking out of its nest in a thicket,
begging for food (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa, QLD, July 2017]
Near fledging-age Noisy Miner chick on the edge of its nest
(photo courtesy of E.
Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, October 2016]
Noisy Miner sitting on its nest
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]
The same Noisy Miner as above, now cleaning the nest
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]
Noisy Miner tending to the newly hatched chicks
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]
Here is pop Noisy Miner bringing in some tucker
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]
Noisy Miner bringing a soft downy feather for lining its nest
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, October 2011]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 25 x 20 mm | Colour: Creamy, with copious dark-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Family clan |
Noisy Miners are used by other bird species as "sentries". When their alarm call is heard, other birds will leave the area.
They form flocks of up to around 20 birds to chase away intruders such as e.g. Australian Ravens. They have earned their name as "Snakebirds", because they raise a vociferous alarm whenever a snake is in sight.
As all other nectar-eating species staying in the Narrabri area during wintertime, Noisy Miners are also omnivores.
Everybody knows that Noisy Miners can make a nuisance of themselves. Below an example - a family clan "inspecting" a disused Little Friarbirds' nest. We had observed them in the area before and are sure that, given a chance, they would have raided that nest even when it was in use. But we do not know what the Noisy Miners were looking for, since they do not build hanging nests themselves.
Family clan of Noisy Miners inspecting a Little Friarbirds' nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2011]
Closer view of the last Noisy Miner to leave
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2011]
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Food, Diet |
Adults: Nectar, insects | Dependents: Insects | Water intake: Daily |
Like all miners of the Manorina family, Noisy Miners do not exclusively feed on nectar, but also on insects taken from leaves or bark.
Immature Noisy Miner taking nectar from a grevillea (photo courtesy
of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, November 2013]
Noisy Miner picking lerps
off the underside of eucalypt leaves
[Eulah Creek, NSW, July 2011]
Noisy Miner taking insects from tree bark (photo courtesy of
A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Goast, QLD, August 2011]
Meat-loving Noisy Miner "dismantling" a locust to make it fit into its
bill (and in the process leaving a mess behind on the picnic table)
[Urunga, NSW, March 2015]
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Additional information |
There is a separate page with a short description of Psyllids and lerps.
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
noisymn_20160202.m4a |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
Contact calls? | © MD | |
noisymn_jc_20151114.mp3 |
lepidota (S VIC) |
Territorial calls? (break of dawn) |
© JW | |
noisymn_20140423_2.mp3 |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
Alarm/warning (Pied Currawong) |
© MD | |
noisymn_20150224.mp3 |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
Alarm/warning (Australian Magpie) |
© MD | |
noisymn_20151016.m4a |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls & "piping" | © MD | |
noisymn_20151016_2.m4a |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
"Piping" | © MD | |
noisymn_20150813.m4a |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
"Piping" | © MD | |
noisymn_20150808.m4a |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
Annoyed calls | © MD | |
noisymn_20140129.mp3 |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
Annoyed call | © MD | |
noisymn_20200329.m4a |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
Mob chasing away one Noisy Miner | © MD | |
noisymn_20140309.mp3 |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
Quarreling | © MD | |
noisymn_20141110.mp3 |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
Begging calls? | © MD | |
noisymn_20210521.m4a |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
Various (family clan) | © MD | |
noisymn_20200220.m4a |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
? | © MD | |
noisymn_20190403.m4a |
lepidota (NW NSW) |
? | © MD |

More Noisy Miner sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.