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Noisy Miner (Manorina melanocephala) Alternate name(s): "Garrulous Honey-eater", "Snakebird", "Cherry-eater", "Squeaker", "Soldierbird", "Mickey*" Aboriginal name(s): "bihm-bim" [western bundjalung] Size: 25-28 cm; wing span 36-45 cm Body mass: 55-65 g

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Noisy Miners are medium-sized nectar-eating birds. They have a black facial mask that encompasses the crown and the sides of the head. Behind the eyes there is a small, near-triangular yellow skin patch. The throat and chest are scalloped grey-brown, becoming less scalloped and lighter grey towards belly and vent, and darker and more scalloped along the nape of the neck and the back, up to the rump. The tail is grey, with a darker centre line. The wings are dark grey; only the secondaries have olive-green leading edges. The irises are dark. The bill is bright-yellow, while the legs and feet are orange. Juveniles are browner than adult Noisy Miners and they have less colour contrast in their facial pattern. Twitcher's tip Compared with Yellow-throated Miners, have no yellow on their neck or forehead and a darker belly, vent and rump plumage.

Taxonomy, classification See Noisy Miner at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Noisy Miner is available HERE . Noisy Miners are endemic to Australia. There are four races of Noisy Miners, all of which live in the East and South-East of the Australian continent. The northern-most, race "titaniota", is found only in the area from Mossman to Lakefield, QLD. Throughout the Great Dividing Range farther South race "lepidota" is found, all through eastern QLD and NSW, into northern VIC and south-eastern SA. The exception to this is the coastal fringe of VIC and NSW, South of the Manning River in NSW, where one finds nominate race "melanocephala". Race "leachi" is only present in the eastern half of Tasmania. Noisy Miners have a preference for open forest and remnant woodland. They adapt well to the presence of humans and will enter urban parks, gardens and farmland with scattered trees as well. Where to look? How to find this species? Noisy Miners are a gregarious, dominant species. Mobs are often seen around flowering trees or smaller shrubs, e.g. bottlebrushes, grevilleas or eucalypts, often in urban parks, gardens. They can be spotted easily when trying to scavenge food from humans.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "melanocephala" B. Hensen reports spotting Noisy Miners, race "melanocephala", at various locations along the NSW coast regularly. Race "lepidota" We first spotted Noisy Miners, race "lepidota", 25 km West of Narrabri, NSW, in October 1997. Noisy Miners, race "lepidota", were only rarely spotted by us 20 km South of Narrabri, NSW, in 2003-2006, but they were permanent residents 25 km West of town. At Eulah Creek, 20 km East of Narrabri, we see a local family clan daily in our garden (usually for a drink). Narrabri is now located in an overlap area between the ranges of two species of Miners: Noisy Miners, race "lepidota", and the very similar Yellow-throated Miners, race "flavigula". Noisy Miners, race "lepidota", were also sighted at, and have been reported to us from, various locations along the Great Dividing Range and to the East of it in QLD. Race "leachi" B. Hensen reports spotting Noisy Miners, race "leachi", in Hobart, TAS, in March 2016.

Photos

Race "melanocephala"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of an adult Noisy Miner looking sideways (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"

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 looking sideways
[Eulah Creek, NSW, September 2018]

Close-up near-frontal view of a Noisy Miner looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Cressbrook, near Toowoomba, QLD, July 2017]

Close-up near-lateral view of a Noisy Miner at the local bird bath
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2008]

Close-up near-lateral view of a preening Noisy Miner (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Cressbrook, near Toowoomba, QLD, July 2017]

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]

Mob of Noisy Miners making a nuisance of themselves (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Highland Park, Gold Coast, QLD, July 2013]

Lateral/ventral view of a Noisy Miner banking to land in a tree
[Eulah Creek, NSW, May 2018]

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]

Near-frontal view of a 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"

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]

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.

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]

Close-up lateral view of a Noisy Miner sitting on its nest under the roof of a carport
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]

Close-up near-dorsal view of a Noisy Miner cleaning its nest
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]

Close-up dorsal view of a Noisy Miner tending to its newly hatched chicks
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]

Noisy Miner with newly hatched chicks - when the parents are gone the chicks are lying so low that they are invisible, even over the low front wall of the somewhat lopsided nest
[Near Narrabri, NSW, September 2006]

Close-up lateral view of a Noisy Miner bringing food for its brood
[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]

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

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 dive for cover.

They form flocks of up to around 20 birds to chase away intruders (especially nest robbers) such as e.g. Australian Ravens. They have earned their name as "Snakebirds", because they raise a vociferous alarm whenever a snake or goanna is in sight.

As all other nectar-eating species staying in inland Australia 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. On another occasion we found a mob of Noisy Miners trying to destroy an active nest of the local residential pair of Striped Honeyeaters (an attempt that was thwarted by the local human resident).

Noisy Miners are the only bird species actively pursued by wildlife carers in order to protect known nest sites of the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater.

Noisy Miners can make a real nuisance of themselves - here a family clan "inspecting" a Little Friarbird nest
[Eulah Creek, NSW, March 2011]

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]

Lateral view of a Noisy Miner hunting head down, 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]

Lateral view of a 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]

Additional information

There is a separate page with a short description of Psyllids and lerps.

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_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_20260115.m4a	lepidota (NW NSW)	Annoyed calls (Q&A)	© MD
noisymn_20200329.m4a	lepidota (NW NSW)	Mob chasing away one Noisy Miner	© 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 .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.