Bell Miner
Manorina melanophrys
Silhouette: Rachael Joakim · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyMeliphagidae (Honeyeaters)
- GenusManorina (Australian Miners)
- SpeciesManorina melanophrys (Bell Miner)
About the Bell Miner
The bell miner or bellbird (Manorina melanophrys) is a colonial honeyeater, endemic to southeastern Australia. The common name refers to their bell-like call. "Miner" is an old alternative spelling of "myna", and is shared with other members of the genus Manorina. The birds feed almost exclusively on the dome-like coverings, referred to as lerps, of certain psyllid bugs.
Bell miners live in large, complex, social groups. Within each group, there are subgroups consisting of several breeding pairs, but also including a number of birds that are not currently breeding. The nonbreeders help in providing food for the young in all the nests within the subgroup, even though they are not necessarily closely related to them. The birds defend their colony area communally and aggressively, excluding most other passerine species. They do this in order to protect their territory from other insect-eating birds that would eat the bell lerps on which they feed. Whenever the local forests die back, due to increased lerp psyllid infestations, bell miners undergo a population boom.
The heritage listed mountain village of Bellbrook was named after the distinctive sound of local bellbirds in 1882. ��2�... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Bell Miner in Blue Mountains National Park
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Noisy Miner
Manorina melanocephala
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Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
Red Wattlebird
Anthochaera carunculata
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
Caligavis chrysops
Little Wattlebird
Anthochaera chrysoptera
Lewin's Honeyeater
Meliphaga lewinii
New Holland Honeyeater
Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
Noisy Friarbird
Philemon corniculatus
White-naped Honeyeater
Melithreptus lunatus
White-eared Honeyeater
Nesoptilotis leucotis
Scarlet Myzomela
Myzomela sanguinolenta
Brown-headed Honeyeater
Melithreptus brevirostris
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Bell Miner in Blue Mountains National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Bell Miner sighting in Blue Mountains National Park, based on 1,101 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Bell Miner in Blue Mountains National Park?
August has the highest sighting rate for Bell Miner in Blue Mountains National Park in our monthly data.