Black-eared Miner
Encyclopedia
The Black-eared Miner, Manorina melanotis, is an endangered honeyeater
endemic to mallee
woodland in south-eastern Australia
. It is closely related to the much more widely distributed Yellow-throated Miner
M. flavigula and the taxonomic
status of the Black-eared Miner is the subject of some controversy, with some researchers considering it a subspecies of M. flavigula. Black-eared Miners are co-operative breeders, living in colonies during the breeding season, and dispersing into the bush during non-breeding periods. Little is known of their movements during these periods.
. Their conservation status also varies from state to state within Australia. For example:
Honeyeater
The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea, but also found in New Zealand, the Pacific islands as far east as Samoa and Tonga, and the islands to the north and west of New Guinea known as Wallacea...
endemic to mallee
Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands
Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands is a Major Vegetation Group which occurs in semi-arid areas of southern Australia. The vegetation is dominated by mallee eucalypts which are rarely over 6 metres high...
woodland in south-eastern Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It is closely related to the much more widely distributed Yellow-throated Miner
Yellow-throated Miner
The Yellow-throated Miner is a species of honeyeater, native to Australia. It is also commonly known as the 'White-rumped Miner'.-Description:...
M. flavigula and the taxonomic
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
status of the Black-eared Miner is the subject of some controversy, with some researchers considering it a subspecies of M. flavigula. Black-eared Miners are co-operative breeders, living in colonies during the breeding season, and dispersing into the bush during non-breeding periods. Little is known of their movements during these periods.
Conservation status
Black-eared Miners are listed as endangered on the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and culturally significant places...
. Their conservation status also varies from state to state within Australia. For example:
- The Black-eared Miner is listed as threatened on the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988). Under this Act, an Action Statement for the recovery and future management of this species has been prepared.
- On the 2007 advisory list of threatened vertebrate fauna in Victoria, the Black-eared Miner is listed as endangered.