Bell Miner (Bellbird)
Manorina melanophrys
Other Names: Bellbird, Bell Bird
Size: Birds Size: 17-20 cm
Family: Meliphagidae (Honeyeaters, 74 species in Australia).
Distribution: Within about 300 km of the coast of NSW, Eastern VIC and the most southern QLD coasts.
Status: Common
Habitat: Forests, woodlands
References: Simpson and Day, Reader's Digest
About the Bell Miner (Bellbird)
The bell miner, or bellbird, is most well know for its chiming bell-like call. They are much more often heard than they are seen, since the call is loud and the bird looks a drab green-grey colour that blends in very well with the trees it is found in. They are very closely related to the noisy miner and not closely related to the introduced common or "Indian" myna.
The beak and feet of the bell miner are yellowish-orange with a small reddish-orange patch behind the eye.
Photo: Lapstone, Blue Mountains NSW.
Photo: Lapstone, Blue Mountains NSW.
Photo: Lapstone, Blue Mountains NSW.
Artwork: John Gould, 'The Birds of Australia', 1848. Higher Resolution 687 x 1000.
Photo: Lapstone, Blue Mountains NSW.
See Also
Australian Mammals
Australian Reptiles
Australian Frogs
Australian Fish
Australian Spiders and Their Faces
Australian Wild Plant Foods
Return to Australian Birds
