Noisy Miner 'coalition'

Description:

Noisy Miners are gregarious and territorial; they forage, bathe, roost, breed and defend territory communally, forming colonies that can contain several hundred birds. Each bird has an 'activity space' and birds with overlapping activity spaces form associations called 'coteries', the most stable units within the colony. The birds also form temporary flocks called 'coalitions' for specific activities such as mobbing a predator. Group cohesion is facilitated not only by vocalizations, but also through ritualised displays which have been categorised as flight displays, postural displays, and facial displays. The Noisy Miner is a notably aggressive bird, and chasing, pecking, fighting, scolding, and mobbing occur throughout the day, targeted at both intruders and colony members. These birds had just attacked a pair of Blue-faced Honeyeaters and were celebrating their victory, even though it was 50+ birds against only 2. There were twice as many birds in the park across the street. They don't call them Noisy Miners for nothing. What a din!!! A better photo of an individual bird can be found at one of my previous spottings - http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/246...

Habitat:

Suburbia. On the utility cable and trees outside my house.

Notes:

Tasty with garlic!