These bold little characters, well known by their loud 'pwee pwee pwee', are common members of the Honeyeater family.

Noisy Miners range from northern Queensland, along the eastern coast, to South Australia and Tasmania. They are found in woodlands and open forests, and are well adapted to suburban parks and gardens.

The Noisy Miner feeds on nectar, fruits and insects, feeding both in the trees and on the ground. They are social birds, often seen feeding in large groups.

Noisy Miners breed from July to December, and several broods may be reared each season. The female constructs the nest and incubates the eggs, but both sexes care for, and feed the young. Additional care may be given by 'helpers', and it is interesting that these helpers are almost always male birds.

Despite their somewhat small size, Noisy Miners are very territorial, and can aggressively defend their 'patch', attacking much larger birds such as Hawks. These attacks can be so vigorous, that most other birds are excluded from the area at certain times of the year.

People sometimes confuse Miners with the introduced Common Myna, (which has become a feral pest). The Common Myna, while having similar facial markings, has mostly dark brown plumage, and actually belongs to the Starling family.

To see the difference, and read more, visit our 'Myna baffles for nestboxes' factsheet here

The above image is kindly licensed by David Burren Photography