18

Habitat

(for details refer to a field guide)

The range of Bell Miners extends from around Melbourne, VIC, along the south-east coast of Australia and the Great Dividing Range, up to about Maryborough, QLD. North of the Clarence River estuary, NSW, and between Wilson's Promontory and Lakes Entrance, VIC, Bell Miners are only rarely found on the coastal fringe itself.

Bell Miners are usually found in the understorey of tall forest, often near water courses, but also along the steep slopes of the Great Dividing Range, often with psyllid infestation.

Sightings

We had heard Bell Miners before, e.g. in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney, but had not spotted them until October 2007. Seen in Washpool National Park, northern NSW. Many Bell Miners were spotted by us on the slopes of various National Parks on the western side of the ranges, e.g. at Barrington Tops National Park, Jilliby State Conservation Area and Watagans National Park in June 2009.

Seen by us as far west as Dungowan, 15 km south-east of Tamworth, NSW, in June 2011.

Also spotted by C. Kellenberg at Gillards Beach, Mimosa Rocks National Park, NSW, in February 2009.

Photos

Near-frontal view of a Bell Miner; photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg

Lateral view of a Bell Miner issuing its characteristic call

Close-up view of the back of a Bell Miner; photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg

Lateral view of an immature Bell Miner; note the absence of the reddish eyestripe typical of adult birds

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Communal

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Family clan/flock

Food

Like all Miners of the Manorina family, Bell Miners feed on insects taken from leaves or bark and nectar. Part of many birds' diet are "lerps", the crystallized honeydew produced by larvae of psyllid insects on the underside of leaves. Many birds will take both, lerp and insect. However, Bell Miners have the peculiarity of picking off only the lerps, leaving the psyllid insects alive. In many cases this leaves the insects to cause serious damage to trees.

Here a bird seen feeding on the underside of leaves

Additional information

There is a separate page with a short description of Psyllids and lerps.