The noisy miner is a bird in the honeyeater family, Meliphagidae, and is endemic to eastern and southeastern Australia. This miner is a grey bird, with a black head, orange-yellow beak and feet, a distinctive yellow patch behind the eye, and white tips on the tail feathers. The Tasmanian subspecies has a more intense yellow panel in the wing, and a broader white tip to the tail. Males, females and juveniles are similar in appearance, though young birds are a brownish-grey. As the common name suggests, the noisy miner is a vocal species with a large range of songs, calls, scoldings and alarms, and almost constant vocalisations, particularly from young birds. One of four species in the genus Manorina, the noisy miner itself is divided into four subspecies. The separation of the Tasmanian M. m. leachi is of long standing, and the mainland birds were further split in 1999.
Region
Eastern and Southeastern Australia
Typical Environment
Found in open eucalypt woodlands, forest edges, and lightly timbered country, especially where understory is sparse. They readily occupy urban and suburban environments, including parks, gardens, golf courses, and roadside plantings. Dense, closed forests are generally avoided. Fragmented landscapes and edge habitats created by land clearing particularly favor this species.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Temperate
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Noisy miners are highly social honeyeaters that live in cooperative colonies and aggressively mob potential predators and intruders, often excluding smaller birds from their territories. They thrive in open, human-modified habitats such as parks and street plantings. Their success has been linked to declines in some small woodland birds due to their intense territorial behavior. Four subspecies are recognized, including a distinctive Tasmanian form with brighter yellow in the wing.
A grey bird with a distinctive yellow patch behind the eye, yellow-orange bill and feet and a yellow-olive patch on the wing
Fledglings utter 85 to 100 'chip' calls in a minute.
Open eucalypt forests without understory shrubs suit the noisy miner.
A gregarious species, the noisy miner engages in most activities communally.
The tall posture is a mild threat signal.
Pointing the bill is usually a warning signal.
Fledglings demand to be fed by any nearby adult.
Fledged siblings huddle together.
Newly hatched chick and egg
Cultivated grevilleas are a key urban food source.
An immature bird (with brownish feathers) eats a mealworm.
Noisy miner catching an ant on Raymond Island, Victoria, Australia
Temperament
social and aggressive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Lives in cohesive colonies with cooperative breeding; multiple helpers assist in feeding nestlings. Strongly territorial, forming mobbing groups to drive away predators and other birds. Nests are open cups placed in trees or large shrubs, often in communal territories.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Extremely vocal with a wide repertoire of chattering, piping, and scolding calls. Calls are used for contact, alarm, and coordinating group behavior, and can be near-constant in active colonies.
