The black-eared miner (''Manorina melanotis'') is an endangered

honeyeater The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family (biology), family, Meliphagidae, of small to medium-sized birds. The family includes the Epthianura, Australian chats, myzomelas, friarbirds, wattlebirds, Manorina, miners and melidectes. They are ...

endemic to mallee woodland in south-eastern Australia.

Taxonomy

''Manorina melanotis'' was identified by Francis Erasmus Wilson in 1911. It is closely related to the much more widely distributed

yellow-throated miner The yellow-throated miner (''Manorina flavigula'') is a species of colonial honeyeater, endemic to Australia. It is also known as the white-rumped miner. The distinctive white rump is easy to observe in the field and distinguishes it from the ot ...

''M. flavigula'', and the

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

status of the black-eared miner is the subject of some controversy, with some researchers considering it a subspecies of ''M. flavigula''.

Behaviour

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. In 2022, it was reported that the species had been interbreeding with the yellow-throated miner.

Distribution and habitat

IBA (Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas), identified by

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...

as being important for black-eared miner conservation, are areas containing relatively intact, mallee woodland in north-western

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

and south-eastern

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

. They comprise Murray-Sunset, Hattah and Annuello, the Riverland Mallee, and Wyperfeld, Big Desert and Ngarkat.

Conservation status

Black-eared miners' survival became threatened by habitat clearance to make way for agriculture, and the bird experienced competition from goats, rabbits,

kangaroo Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern gre ...

s, and other

herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...

s, which then had access to water which they had not previously had. The species was assessed as "probably Australia's rarest and most endangered bird" in 2016 by

ornithologist Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...

John McLaughlin, while a 2018 study ranked it as the 10th bird at most risk of extinction. there remain around 200 colonies, with up to 20 birds within each colony. Interbreeding with the yellow-throated miner has affected the genetic integrity of the black-eared miner, which adds to the risk to their population. The species is listed as endangered on the

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

(2021.3) and under the Australian ''

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 The ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' (Cth) 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 cultu ...

'', and its conservation status in several Australian states is as follows: *

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

: Listed as "Critically Endangered" by the ''

Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) The ''Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016'' (''BC Act'') is a state-based act of parliament in New South Wales (NSW). Its long title is ''An Act relating to the conservation of biodiversity; and to repeal the Threatened Species Conservation Act ...

'', as of February 2022. *

: Listed as "Endangered" by the ''

National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 Protected areas of South Australia consists of protected areas located within South Australia and its immediate onshore waters and which are managed by South Australian Government agencies. As of March 2018, South Australia contains 359 sepa ...

'', as of January 2020. *

: Listed as "Threatened" by the ''

Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (1988) The ''Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988'', also known as the ''FFG Act'', is an act of the Victorian Government designed to protect species, genetic material and habitats, to prevent extinction and allow maximum genetic diversity within the Au ...

'', as of October 2021, and as "endangered" on the 2007 advisory list of threatened vertebrate fauna. Under this Act, an ''Action Statement'' for the recovery and future management of this species has been prepared.

Conservation measures

In July 2022 it was announced that AUD$125,000 has been dedicated to protect the black-eared miner. The

Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government i ...

has provided the funding to the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board (MRLB) and their partners for the project. As part of the project, researchers will do

genetic testing Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...

of birds in the 200 populations.

References

External links

BirdLife Species FactsheetPhotos and audio of black-eared miner
from

Cornell Lab of Ornithology The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a member-supported unit of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, which studies birds and other wildlife. It is housed in the Imogene Powers Johnson Center for Birds and Biodiversity in Sapsucker Woods Sanctuar ...

's Macaulay Library
Recordings of black-eared miner
from Graeme Chapman's sound library
Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Species Profile and Threats Database: Manorina melanotis — Black-eared Miner (Commonwealth Documents)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q664401

black-eared miner The black-eared miner (''Manorina melanotis'') is an endangered honeyeater endemic to mallee woodland in south-eastern Australia. Taxonomy ''Manorina melanotis'' was identified by Francis Erasmus Wilson in 1911. It is closely related to the mu ...

Birds of South Australia Birds of Victoria (Australia) Endemic birds of Australia Endangered fauna of Australia