Faye
Noisy Miners will not be the same problem on the NSW north coast as they
are elsewhere. While they certainly do occur in the area, and are not
uncommon, they really do reach peak numbers in slightly drier habitats.
The remnant woodlands are where this species really can be a problem
(keeping other natives from the smaller woodland remnants - in many areas
miner infested roadsides constitutes the only native vegetation) and I
think this is where people are gaining the impression that they are
indicators of habitat degradation.
As was pointed out, Noisy Miners have a preferred habitat and almost
certainly still occupy this original habitat (somewhere). I would think
that the NSW north coast would have supported relatively few Noisy Miners
pre-settlement. They have spread as a result of clearing and the
establishment of artificial Noisy Miner habitat but not to the extent seen
in woodlands. The typical regrowth on the north coast, invariably
containing Camphor Laurel, is not Noisy Miner habitat.
The thing I do find interesting since moving to Melbourne is the extent of
the Bell Miner "problem" here. In all my years on the NSW north coast I
never imagined that these birds could be a "problem" species. Yes, they
exclude many birds from their territory but Bell Miners are nowhere as
prolific as they seem to be down here.
David Geering
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