Length 23–26 cm; wingspan 35–38 cm; weight c. 55 g.
Living in communal groups, the Black-eared Miner is a shy honeyeater that often moves quietly through the scrub, foraging for insects on the ground, among the foliage and by probing underneath bark of mallee trees. The species is confined to mature, semi-arid mallee eucalypt woodlands which have been neither burnt nor cleared for at least 50 years. Their usual flight is fast, level and direct, with continual wingbeats.
HABITAT Black-eared Miners usually inhabit large blocks of unburnt, mature mallee woodland, especially tall mallee woodland dominated by eucalypts such as Yorrell Eucalyptus gracilis, Red Mallee E. socialis, White Mallee E. dumosa and Giant Mallee E. oleosa, sometimes with stands of Callitris, and often with an open understorey of small shrubs such as chenopods, turpentine Beyeria, acacias and spinifex. Ecological characteristics which are correlated with the presence of Miners, such as amount of decorticating bark, tree density, stem density, canopy cover and the amount of accumulated litter, are all indicators of the length of time since the area was last burnt.
DISTRIBUTION Endemic to Australia, where it has been recorded in semi-arid parts of south-western New South Wales, north-western Victoria and the Murray–Mallee region of South Australia.
STATUS
Endangered in New South Wales
Threatened in Victoria
Endangered in South Australia
THREATS The main threat to the population of Black-eared Miners is the clearance of old-growth mallee woodlands. Apart from the loss of habitat, another result of this clearance is the invasion of remnant patches by the closely related Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula, which interbreed with Black-eared Miners, causing genetic swamping of the population. Another major threat is posed by fires, as the species requires that at least part of its habitat has remained unburnt for at least 50 years.
MOVEMENTS The species is thought to be sedentary, with some individuals capable of some more extensive movements when dispersing after breeding.
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Length 23–26 cm; wingspan 35–38 cm; weight c. 55 g.
Living in communal groups, the Black-eared Miner is a shy honeyeater that often moves quietly through the scrub, foraging for insects on the ground, among the foliage and by probing underneath bark of mallee trees. The species is confined to mature, semi-arid mallee eucalypt woodlands which have been neither burnt nor cleared for at least 50 years. Their usual flight is fast, level and direct, with continual wingbeats.
HABITAT
Black-eared Miners usually inhabit large blocks of unburnt, mature mallee woodland, especially tall mallee woodland dominated by eucalypts such as Yorrell Eucalyptus gracilis, Red Mallee E. socialis, White Mallee E. dumosa and Giant Mallee E. oleosa, sometimes with stands of Callitris, and often with an open understorey of small shrubs such as chenopods, turpentine Beyeria, acacias and spinifex. Ecological characteristics which are correlated with the presence of Miners, such as amount of decorticating bark, tree density, stem density, canopy cover and the amount of accumulated litter, are all indicators of the length of time since the area was last burnt.
DISTRIBUTION
Endemic to Australia, where it has been recorded in semi-arid parts of south-western New South Wales, north-western Victoria and the Murray–Mallee region of South Australia.
STATUS
·Endangered in New South Wales
·Threatened in Victoria
·Endangered in South Australia
THREATS
The main threat to the population of Black-eared Miners is the clearance of old-growth mallee woodlands. Apart from the loss of habitat, another result of this clearance is the invasion of remnant patches by the closely related Yellow-throated Miner Manorina flavigula, which interbreed with Black-eared Miners, causing genetic swamping of the population. Another major threat is posed by fires, as the species requires that at least part of its habitat has remained unburnt for at least 50 years.
MOVEMENTS
The species is thought to be sedentary, with some individuals capable of some more extensive movements when dispersing after breeding.
