In response to Sandra Wilson & Andrew Thelander
>comments that a keen raptor observer once told her that the noisy miner has
>fifty (50) different calls and he had learnt what each one meant.
>I am interested in this. Does anyone know of any scientific studies into
>the calls of the noisy miner? I know it's not one of our favourite birds!!
No, but we would sure like to. Every morning at this time of year, we wake
up to an incredible variety of calls from the Noisy Miners around here. We
can't come anywhere near 50, but there sure are a lot, a most of them a lot
more pleasant than the ones usually associated with that bird.
BTW we used to share the popular opinion that they were a real nuisance when
they started to invade our new native garden (set amongst natural bush and
adjoining State Forest), but they seem to have reached their peak and while
they are definitely more conspicuous than most birds, we are still getting
the same variety of nectar feeding birds visiting our birdbaths that we
always were, including: Noisy Friarbirds, Lewins HE, Yellowfaced HE, Scarlet
HE, White Throat HE. And in the last couple of years, these have been
joined mainly during summer, by Little Wattle Birds, Little Friarbirds and
Blue face HE who are certainly the equal of the Noisy Miners in stridency!
The main threat to the smaller birds, seems to be the Currawongs (especially
when nesting) and the Kookaburras, which we have seen kill and swallow an
Eastern Yellow Robin.
Jenny B, Pomona, Qld
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