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Bell Miner (Manorina melanophrys)

The Bell Miner is a small, olive-green colonial honeyeater of eastern and south-eastern Australia. Colonies can contain 8 to 200 or more birds and may remain in one area for many years, so clearing dense understorey or working near nests can affect a substantial local group. The species is least concern nationally and is not listed as endangered, vulnerable or near threatened in Australia, but in Queensland it is a least concern colonial breeder, and tampering with its breeding place requires the higher risk species management program pathway.

Conservation status

Queensland, Nature Conservation Act 1992: Colonial breeder. Least concern in Queensland, but it breeds in colonies, so tampering with a breeding place needs a high risk species management program rather than the low risk program.

Breeding season

Bell Miners can breed in every month of the year, with breeding reported mostly from June to November. Timing may vary between colonies and regions, so clearing surveys should treat established colonies as potentially active year round.

Breeding mode: Colonial, cooperative breeding. Several breeding pairs form coteries within larger colonies, with nonbreeding helpers assisting at multiple nests.

Breeding frequency: Breeding pairs can make successive breeding attempts within a year. Breeding is possible in every month.

Clutch size: Usually 2 eggs, with a recorded range of 1 to 3 eggs.

Incubation: About 14 to 15 days. The female incubates, and may be fed by the male and helpers at the nest.

Nestling and fledging period: Young remain in the nest for about 11 to 15 days. Fledging has been recorded on day 10 or 11 after hatching.

Post-fledging dependence: Parents and helpers may continue feeding fledged young for up to about 10.6 weeks, with feeding rates declining over time.

Breeding places and colonies: Nests are small cups built by the female, generally in dense undergrowth. Colonies contain about 8 to 200 or more birds, and may remain in the same area for many years. An active breeding place may be indicated by repeated bell miner calls, birds carrying food, adults moving to dense vegetation, nest defence, or fledglings being fed. Treat the whole colony area, not just a visible nest, as sensitive.

Breeding intensity and the presence of active nests can vary between years and regions, so field checks should confirm current activity before clearing or construction.

  • Breeding and nesting: Breeding can occur in every month, with activity reported mostly from June to November.
  • Eggs, nestlings and dependent young: Eggs and young may be present in any month because breeding is year round, and fledged young can remain dependent for several weeks.
  • Colony presence and territorial activity: Colonies are generally sedentary and defend permanent territories throughout the year.
  • Highest clearing risk: Clearing or construction can harm nests, nestlings, fledglings and helpers in any month, with heightened practical risk during the main June to November breeding period. Keep works outside active nesting where practicable, retain dense understorey and colony habitat, and use a site-specific exclusion area established by a suitably qualified ecologist. Avoid repeated close approaches because flushing adults can expose nests and young.

Identification: Appearance and size

Bell Miners are often heard before they are seen. Look and listen carefully in dense, leafy vegetation, especially around gullies, creeks and forest edges.

The Bell Miner is the smallest of the four Australian miners. It is a stocky honeyeater with olive-green plumage, darker wings and a yellower belly.

Adults have a short, slightly down-curved yellow bill, bright orange legs and a red-orange bare patch behind the eye. The crown and lores are black, and a dark streak runs down from the corner of the bill.

Males and females look alike, although males are generally slightly larger. Juveniles are browner and duller and lack the bright adult eye patch.

Adult eye patch: Red-orange bare skin behind the eye.

Juvenile eye patch: Paler, developing from grey or yellow through to orange.

  • Length: 17.5 to 20 cm.
  • Wingspan: 22 to 30 cm.
  • Weight: 25 to 35 g.

Identification: Calls and similar species

The call is a clear, tinkling or bell-like sound, often described as a ping or tink. Colony members call through the day, from just before sunrise until just after sunset. Birds also give harsher calls and a hiccupping note.

Bell Miners can be confused with other miners. Noisy Miners are generally greyer and favour more open vegetation with little understorey. Yellow-throated Miners and Black-eared Miners are also predominantly grey. The Crested Bellbird is a different inland species with different calls and behaviour.

  • Record repeated bell-like calls from dense vegetation as a possible colony indicator.
  • Use call direction, repeated contacts and visible movement between trees to locate birds.
  • Do not rely on a single call for identification where other honeyeaters are present.

Identification: Field signs

Bell Miners are usually found in groups, with repeated calls coming from a defined patch of dense vegetation. Birds may move through the canopy and understorey while maintaining contact.

Nests are small, thin, cup-shaped structures, usually placed in dense undergrowth. A nest may be difficult to see because surrounding vegetation can conceal the adults and nest helpers.

Look for repeated adult visits, birds carrying nesting material, birds carrying food, alarm calls, mobbing behaviour and fledglings being fed. Treat these signs as evidence of an active breeding place.

  • Small cup nest in dense undergrowth.
  • Repeated adult or helper visits to one location.
  • Nestling begging calls or fledglings receiving food.
  • Colony alarm calls and coordinated mobbing of people, predators or other birds.

Distribution: Australian range

The Bell Miner is endemic to mainland eastern and south-eastern Australia. It is associated mainly with wetter coastal and foothill areas rather than inland Australia.

The main range extends from around Gympie in Queensland, south through coastal and foothill areas of New South Wales, to Victoria around Melbourne. The species is mapped in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Records are concentrated in higher-rainfall areas near the coast and ranges. Bell Miners often occur beside rainforest but generally use the surrounding forest and woodland rather than closed rainforest.

  • Queensland, including areas around Gympie and south along the coastal plain and ranges.
  • New South Wales, particularly wetter coastal and foothill districts.
  • Victoria, including the Melbourne region and south-eastern Victoria.
  • South Australia and the Northern Territory are included in the mapped range, but local occurrence should be checked against current records and habitat.

Distribution: Site-scale distribution

Colonies establish defended territories and may remain in one place for many years. A colony can occupy a connected patch of suitable understorey, often near permanent water.

A construction site may contain only part of a colony. Survey beyond the work footprint because birds, nests and foraging areas can extend into adjoining vegetation.

  • Map all dense understorey, creek lines, gullies and retained eucalypts around the footprint.
  • Check adjacent vegetation for repeated colony calls and movements between coteries.
  • Record colony boundaries as an ecological area, not just individual nest points.

Habitat: Vegetation structure

Look for Bell Miners in open eucalypt forest, wet or dry sclerophyll forest and thick woodland with a dense shrubby understorey. Retained vegetation along creeks and gullies is especially relevant on clearing and construction sites.

Preferred habitat commonly has thick understorey below 5 m, a relatively sparse midstorey from 5 to 15 m and a taller canopy above 15 m. Understorey plants may include shrubs, ferns, sedges and rainforest vines.

Dense lantana can also provide suitable structure in disturbed areas. Its presence does not mean the habitat has low ecological value for Bell Miners.

  • Dense shrubs and tangled vegetation.
  • Eucalypts with psyllid activity or lerp cover.
  • Ferns, sedges, vines and regenerating woody plants.
  • A continuous or partly continuous understorey between retained trees.

Habitat: Landform and water

Colonies are often associated with broad gullies, foothills, forest edges and coastal plains. A stream or other permanent water source is often nearby.

Creekside vegetation, remnant bushland, parks and gardens can support colonies where eucalypts and dense shrubs have been retained.

  • Gullies and drainage lines with dense vegetation.
  • Creek margins and permanent water sources.
  • Edges of wet or dry sclerophyll forest.
  • Suburban remnants connected to larger bushland patches.

Habitat: Pre-clearance checks

Inspect the full vegetation patch and its edges, not only trees marked for removal. Listen during the active daylight calling period and allow time for birds to reveal a colony through repeated calls and movement.

A colony may shift after small changes to its understorey, including fire or lantana removal. Plan clearing so that suitable vegetation is retained wherever practicable.

  • Complete a habitat walkover before finalising clearing limits.
  • Use call playback only if approved and appropriate. Passive listening is preferred for locating a colony.
  • Mark retained understorey, creek buffers and access routes before works begin.

Foraging habitat: Food and feeding areas

Bell Miners forage mainly in the canopy and dense understorey within a defended colony territory. Their food supply is strongly linked to psyllids and the lerps that cover them.

Psyllids, psyllid nymphs, lerps and other psyllid secretions may make up most of the diet. Bell Miners also take nectar from eucalypt, banksia and mistletoe flowers, as well as spiders, beetles, weevils, moths and wasps.

Foraging is mainly among leaves, branches and loose bark, generally at least 8 m above ground, with birds also descending into dense understorey.

Typical foraging height: Generally at least 8 m in the canopy, with additional use of dense understorey.

  • Eucalypt foliage with visible lerps or psyllid infestations.
  • Flowering eucalypts, banksias and mistletoes.
  • Canopy, midstorey and understorey within the colony territory.
  • Trees and shrubs connected to nest areas.

Foraging habitat: Colony territory

Bell Miners forage independently rather than as a single flock. Breeding pairs have individual feeding ranges, while helpers move among several nest areas and activity spaces.

Colonies aggressively exclude many insectivorous and nectarivorous birds. Removing vegetation or opening the canopy can change both the food supply and the social territory.

  • Avoid isolating retained food trees from dense colony vegetation.
  • Keep machinery, lighting and access routes away from repeated feeding areas where practicable.
  • Retain canopy and understorey links across the work area.

Foraging habitat: Field assessment

Map food trees and dense feeding vegetation with nest and call locations. Look for repeated birds moving between canopy foliage, understorey and nest areas.

A high number of psyllids or lerps alone does not confirm a colony. Combine food signs with repeated Bell Miner calls, territorial behaviour and breeding activity.

  • Record lerp or psyllid activity on retained eucalypts.
  • Record feeding flights and the direction of movement.
  • Include adjoining vegetation in the assessment of the colony territory.

Breeding habitat: Nest and breeding place

Bell Miners breed cooperatively in colonies and coteries. Several breeding pairs may nest in the same local area, supported by nonbreeding helpers, so a single clearing activity can affect multiple nests and dependent young.

The female builds a small, thin, cup-shaped nest, usually in dense undergrowth. The female incubates the eggs and is often fed by her mate and helpers while on the nest.

Breeding females can synchronise nesting within neighbourhoods. Breeding may occur in every month of the year, with breeding activity mostly reported from June to November.

Clutch: 1 to 3 eggs, usually 2.

Incubation: About 14 to 15 days, by the female.

Fledging: About 10 to 12 days after hatching.

Post-fledging care: Parents and helpers may feed young for up to about 10.6 weeks after fledging.

  • Inspect dense shrubs, vines, ferns and understorey beneath retained trees.
  • Search for more than one nest because a coterie can contain several breeding pairs.
  • Treat the whole occupied colony patch as a potential breeding place while breeding activity is present.

Breeding habitat: How to recognise active breeding

An active breeding place may be identified by a nest with eggs or young, adults repeatedly visiting one nest, adults carrying food, nestling calls, or fledglings being fed nearby.

Helpers can provision several nests. Do not assume that a nest is inactive because the breeding female is not visible during a short observation.

  • Repeated food deliveries to a nest or concealed vegetation.
  • Adults carrying nesting material or removing faecal sacs.
  • Nestling begging calls.
  • Recently fledged young following adults or being fed.

Breeding habitat: Timing and works planning

Because breeding can occur throughout the year, do not assume that a winter or summer shutdown will avoid all nesting. Schedule works outside the active nesting period for the local colony where this can be established, and confirm conditions immediately before clearing.

If active breeding is detected, stop work in the immediate area and obtain advice from the project ecologist and the relevant regulator. In Queensland, use the required high risk species management program pathway for tampering with the breeding place of this least concern colonial breeder.

  • Complete a pre-clearance breeding inspection close to the start of works.
  • Use staged clearing only where it will not isolate nests or remove the colony's shelter and food supply.
  • Keep noisy or high-movement activities away from active nests and feeding routes.
  • Do not relocate nests or clear occupied breeding vegetation without the required approval and specialist direction.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter features

Specific nocturnal roost sites and maternity roosts are not a recognised feature of the Bell Miner's breeding biology. For field planning, dense vegetation used by the colony should be treated as shelter and refuge as well as nesting habitat.

Retain dense shrubs, vines, ferns and understorey around eucalypts, creek lines and gullies. These features provide cover for adults, helpers and recently fledged young.

The species is sedentary and colonies commonly remain in the same location for many years. A colony may move after a bushfire, loss of water or major loss of understorey.

  • Dense understorey below 5 m.
  • Thickets around nest trees.
  • Connected vegetation along gullies and creeks.
  • Canopy trees with nearby cover and feeding vegetation.

Sheltering habitat: Works controls

Avoid removing shelter vegetation around an active colony, even where no nest is visible. Keep machinery, vehicle movements, lighting and temporary storage out of retained colony vegetation.

Where works must occur nearby, use a site-specific exclusion area set by the ecologist and approval conditions. Increase separation where birds flush repeatedly, alarm-call or mob workers.

  • Keep access tracks outside dense colony vegetation.
  • Avoid night works and bright lighting near active nests.
  • Do not stockpile materials against retained shrubs or nest trees.
  • Recheck the area after storms, fire or major vegetation changes.

Sheltering habitat: Roost and refuge searches

Bell Miners can be difficult to see because their olive-green plumage blends with leaves. A quiet listening search, followed by careful observation of repeated movements, is more useful than relying on a single visual pass.

Do not apply waterbird colony methods such as island, sandbank, reedbed or wetland tree buffers to this species. Those settings may be relevant to other colonial birds, but Bell Miner shelter is generally dense terrestrial vegetation.

  • Survey shortly after sunrise or during the daytime calling period.
  • Use binoculars to inspect dense foliage without entering the patch unnecessarily.
  • Record repeated evening or early morning movement if a roost is suspected.
  • Seek species-specific advice where a communal roost is suspected.

Colonies and breeding places: What a colony looks like

A Bell Miner colony is a defended social territory containing several coteries, breeding pairs, nests and helpers. Colonies are not usually a single exposed rookery. They are often concealed within dense understorey and connected canopy vegetation.

Colonies may contain 8 to 200 or more birds. A coterie includes breeding pairs and nonbreeding helpers, and several coteries can interact within the larger colony.

The colony may be recognised by persistent bell-like calling, many birds moving through the same vegetation, coordinated alarm calls, mobbing and exclusion of other canopy or midstorey birds.

Colony size: 8 to 200 or more birds.

Helpers: Usually 1 to 20 auxiliaries per breeding pair, with up to 13 recorded in one study and a mean of 10.7 helpers per nest in another.

  • Repeated calls from a defined patch.
  • Several nests or nest activity areas in dense undergrowth.
  • Many adults and helpers carrying food.
  • Aggressive responses to predators, people or competing birds.

Colonies and breeding places: Colony locations and site fidelity

Bell Miner colonies are usually in terrestrial eucalypt forest, woodland, gullies, creek margins and forest edges with dense understorey. Nests are generally in dense vegetation rather than exposed on cliffs, sandbanks, islands or open wetland trees.

Colonies may remain in the same location for many years. Young females disperse to breeding positions outside their natal colony, while males may remain in their natal coterie while waiting for a breeding vacancy.

  • Dense understorey beneath eucalypts.
  • Creek and gully vegetation with permanent or reliable water nearby.
  • Connected forest edge and woodland patches.
  • Disturbed sites with dense lantana or other thick understorey.

Colonies and breeding places: Buffers and disturbance

There is no single Bell Miner disturbance distance that can be applied to every site. Set a conservative, site-specific buffer around the active colony and each nest, based on visibility, vegetation density, access needs, noise, vibration and the birds' response.

If birds flush repeatedly, alarm-call, mob workers or stop feeding, increase the exclusion area and reassess the work method. Keep works outside the local nesting period where possible, but remember that this species can breed in all months.

  • Mark the active colony and all known nests before works.
  • Keep clearing, excavation, vibration and high-noise activities outside the marked area.
  • Use spotters to monitor the buffer during nearby works.
  • Stop and reassess if new nests, fledglings or strong alarm behaviour are detected.

Colonies and breeding places: Colonial bird practice on works sites

Colonial birds need special care because several breeding pairs may be concentrated in one place. The Bell Miner is a terrestrial colony breeder, so the relevant focus is dense vegetation, nests, helpers and colony territory rather than a waterbird rookery.

For other colonial birds, colonies may occur in wetland trees, lignum, reedbeds, islands, sandbanks, riverbanks, cliffs, culverts, bridges or caves. Their nest density, flushing distance and dependence on water levels can differ greatly.

  • Identify the species before selecting a colony buffer.
  • Avoid flushing birds repeatedly, especially during incubation and early chick rearing.
  • Keep works outside the nesting period where a reliable local period is known.
  • For waterbird colonies, maintain suitable flooding, water levels and access to nesting habitat, and coordinate water management with the ecologist and land manager.
  • Do not use a Bell Miner buffer or nesting period as a default for another colonial species.

Threats: Clearing and fragmentation

The main worksite risks are loss of dense understorey, fragmentation of colony territory and disturbance around active nests. Bell Miners can respond to relatively small changes in their understorey by moving to another territory.

Clearing for houses, roads, agriculture and construction can remove nests, shelter, food trees and links between coteries. Narrow retained strips may not provide the dense structure or connected territory the colony needs.

Loss of dense shrubby vegetation along creeks and in gullies is a particular concern.

  • Minimise the clearing footprint.
  • Retain mature eucalypts with dense understorey beneath and around them.
  • Maintain connections along gullies, creeks and forest edges.
  • Avoid creating isolated trees surrounded by bare ground.

Threats: Fire and vegetation treatment

Bushfire can remove the understorey and may cause a whole colony to move. Lantana removal, slashing and other understorey treatments can also change colony habitat, even where the treatment is intended to improve vegetation condition.

Stage vegetation treatment outside active breeding areas and retain suitable cover until the colony has moved or an ecologist confirms that the treatment is appropriate.

  • Assess colony occupancy before fire management or lantana removal.
  • Use staged, patch-based treatment where feasible.
  • Retain refuge vegetation and food trees between treatment areas.
  • Monitor the colony after major vegetation change.

Threats: Water and creek works

Bell Miner colonies are often associated with permanent water and creek or gully vegetation. Loss of water sources and flood-control alterations to creeks can reduce habitat quality or cause a colony to move.

Avoid unnecessary removal of creekside shrubs and eucalypts. Manage drainage, dewatering and bank works so that retained vegetation remains viable.

  • Keep machinery and spoil out of retained creekside vegetation.
  • Protect permanent pools and nearby feeding trees where practicable.
  • Plan dewatering and bank works with the project ecologist.
  • Check the colony again after water levels or drainage patterns change.

Threats: Disturbance, predation and legal risk

Noise, vibration, machinery movement, lighting and repeated human presence can disturb nesting adults and helpers. Predation is a major cause of juvenile mortality, so disturbance that exposes nests or fledglings can add to natural risk.

Cats can kill Bell Miners, and eggs and young may be taken by several bird and snake predators. In Queensland, unauthorised tampering with an active breeding place can also create a compliance risk under the colonial breeder provisions.

  • Use a fauna spotter catcher and ecologist to monitor active colonies.
  • Keep domestic animals and construction compounds away from the colony.
  • Do not handle nests, eggs, nestlings or fledglings unless authorised and directed.
  • Document decisions, buffers, monitoring results and any changes to the work method.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop assessment

Bell Miners are often detected by their calls before they are seen. Surveys should focus on dense understorey near eucalypts, creeks and other permanent water, and should cover the full area that may be used by a colony.

Review recent records, aerial imagery, vegetation mapping and previous ecological reports before entering the site.

Identify dense shrub, fern, sedge and vine cover, gullies, creek lines, lantana thickets and connected eucalypt woodland. These areas may support a colony even when nests are difficult to see.

Treat a colony as a wider social unit, not just the location of one nest. Colonies may contain 8 to 200 or more birds, several coteries and multiple breeding pairs.

  • Map all suitable habitat and likely access routes.
  • Check whether clearing may affect adjoining habitat, a creek corridor or the wider colony territory.
  • Review planning approvals, protected species records and any existing management plans.

Survey methodology: 2. Field detection

Visit during calm conditions, preferably from before sunrise when colony calling begins. Bell Miners may continue calling until just after sunset, so later observations can also be useful.

Listen for the characteristic tinkling or bell-like calls and the repeated contact call. Move slowly and pause often because birds are usually high in the canopy and blend with foliage.

Search dense understorey for cup-shaped nests, adults carrying food, helpers moving between nests, alarm calls, mobbing behaviour and recently fledged young.

  • Walk the full proposed disturbance area and inspect adjoining habitat where birds may retreat or continue to forage.
  • Use quiet observation rather than approaching nests closely.
  • Repeat the survey if conditions are poor, if the colony boundary is unclear, or if works are delayed. Bell Miners can breed in every month, with breeding reported mostly from June to November.

Survey methodology: 3. Survey effort and conditions

There is no single published effort standard for detecting Bell Miner colonies. Set effort according to the size and complexity of the site, the amount of dense vegetation and the consequences of disturbing a colony.

Use more than one visit where a colony is suspected, where vegetation blocks visibility, or where clearing may affect dense understorey. Include visits during the main breeding period and revisit before works commence.

Do not rely on a negative visual search. A quiet or hidden colony may still be present if birds are concealed in the canopy or understorey.

  • Avoid strong wind, heavy rain and other conditions that mask calls or reduce bird activity.
  • Record survey date, start and finish time, weather, observers, route, duration, visibility and access limitations.
  • Record all Bell Miner detections, call locations, estimated group size, flight direction, nest locations, breeding behaviour and the boundary of occupied habitat.

Survey methodology: 4. Colony and breeding place assessment

Map the colony as an area containing calling birds, coteries, nests, feeding ranges and dense shelter. Do not define the breeding place only by the tree holding a visible nest.

An active breeding place may be indicated by a female sitting on a nest, adults carrying food, helpers provisioning nestlings, alarm calls, repeated movement to one nest, eggs, nestlings or dependent fledglings.

Bell Miners usually build small cup nests in dense undergrowth. Breeding pairs may be assisted by numerous helpers, so activity around a nest can be greater than the number of breeding adults suggests.

  • Mark nests and other sensitive locations without entering dense vegetation unnecessarily.
  • Record whether the colony appears to contain eggs, nestlings, fledglings or dependent young.
  • Provide the mapped colony, breeding places and recommended controls to the project ecologist and site supervisor before disturbance.

Before habitat disturbance: 1. Avoidance and design

Avoid clearing Bell Miner colonies wherever practicable. Because colonies are sedentary, socially complex and can contain many nests, removing a small area of dense understorey may affect more birds than are visible at the work face.

Redesign the activity to retain the colony, dense understorey, mature eucalypts, creek vegetation and links to nearby shelter wherever practicable.

Keep access tracks, compounds, stockpiles, lighting and vehicle movements outside occupied colony habitat. Avoid fragmenting a colony or isolating a nest from its feeding and sheltering areas.

Do not assume that moving birds from the work area will protect the colony. Small disturbances to understorey, fire and lantana removal have been associated with colonies moving to new territories.

  • Retain dense native shrubs, ferns, sedges and vines where they form colony habitat.
  • Protect permanent water sources and vegetated creek margins from unnecessary disturbance.
  • Include colony avoidance areas on construction drawings, environmental constraints maps and daily work plans.

Before habitat disturbance: 2. Approvals and permits

Confirm the legal status of the action before any clearing, nest removal, vegetation trimming or disturbance begins. Bell Miners are listed as least concern in Australia, but colonial breeder provisions can still apply.

In Queensland, tampering with the breeding place of a least concern colonial breeder requires a high risk species management program under the Nature Conservation (Animals) Regulation 2020. Obtain the required approved program before work that may affect a breeding place.

Check state and territory wildlife legislation, clearing controls, local approvals and permit requirements in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria, as applicable to the project.

  • Seek advice from the relevant state or territory conservation agency where the action may affect a colony or active nest.
  • Consider an EPBC Act referral if the action may significantly affect a matter of national environmental significance, including another listed species or protected matter at the site.
  • Keep copies of approvals, permits, conditions and the approved SMP at the work front.

Before habitat disturbance: 3. Pre-clearance inspection and timing

Complete a targeted pre-clearance inspection shortly before work starts. Reinspect if the work area changes or if the delay is long enough for breeding activity to change.

Bell Miners can breed throughout the year. Do not rely on a seasonal no-breeding period. Where practicable, schedule works outside active nesting and the period when fledglings remain dependent on adults.

A nestling may fledge at about 10 to 11 days, but young can continue to be fed for an average of about 10.6 weeks after fledging. Avoid treating an empty nest as evidence that the breeding place is no longer active.

  • Search the entire clearing footprint and a suitable adjoining area for nests, calling birds and dependent young.
  • Stop and obtain ecological advice if eggs, nestlings, recently fledged young or active provisioning are found.
  • Document the inspection and confirm the clearance boundary with the spotter catcher before machinery arrives.

Before habitat disturbance: 4. Buffers, exclusion and induction

Establish a site-specific exclusion buffer around each active nest and occupied colony before works begin. No generic distance is suitable for every site because vegetation, terrain, machinery and bird behaviour affect disturbance risk.

Set the buffer with the project ecologist and approval conditions. Increase it if adults alarm, repeatedly flush, mob workers or stop provisioning. Keep people, machinery, vibration, dust and noise outside the buffer.

Clearly flag the buffer on the ground and on plans. A buffer around one nest must not cut through the rest of the coterie or prevent adults and helpers from reaching the nest.

  • Fence or flag exclusion areas before clearing.
  • Induct all workers, subcontractors and machinery operators on the colony location, call signs, stop-work process and no-entry rules.
  • Tell workers not to approach, photograph closely, feed or handle birds.

During habitat disturbance: 1. Sequential clearing

Clearing near a Bell Miner colony should be slow, staged and supervised. The fauna spotter catcher must have clear authority to stop work whenever a nest, dependent young, colony or unexpected wildlife risk is identified.

Clear from the outside of the approved work area towards the retained habitat, allowing mobile animals to move into safe cover where this is permitted by the approval.

Use staged clearing and retain escape routes. Do not create a narrow strip of remaining vegetation that forces birds towards machinery or isolates a nest.

Remove vegetation progressively and inspect each section before the next section is disturbed. Avoid sudden removal of dense understorey around active nests.

  • Begin with low-risk areas confirmed by the pre-clearance inspection.
  • Keep machinery out of marked buffers and retained colony habitat.
  • Pause whenever bird behaviour changes or the work exposes a previously hidden nest or shelter.

During habitat disturbance: 2. Stop-work authority and active breeding places

The fauna spotter catcher must be authorised to stop machinery immediately. The supervisor must support that decision without delay or penalty.

If an active nest, colony, dependent fledgling, roost or other breeding place is found, stop work in the affected area and establish a temporary exclusion zone.

Do not move a nest, prune around it, remove supporting vegetation or attempt to flush adults. Obtain advice from the project ecologist and follow the relevant approval or high risk SMP.

  • Record the location and condition of the breeding place from a safe distance.
  • Keep workers, vehicles and noise outside the exclusion area until the ecologist confirms the next step.
  • Resume only after the breeding place is protected, the control measures are documented and the supervisor has briefed the crew.

During habitat disturbance: 3. Handling and injured animals

Only authorised and appropriately trained fauna personnel may capture, handle or relocate a Bell Miner. Workers must not chase or catch birds.

If a bird is injured, contain the area, stop nearby work and contact the nominated wildlife carer, veterinarian or wildlife authority. Use a quiet, dark and secure container only when directed by an authorised person.

Do not provide food or water unless directed by a veterinarian or wildlife carer. Bell Miners have a specialised diet and inappropriate feeding can cause harm.

  • Record the bird's location, condition, apparent injury, time found and people involved.
  • Keep cats, dogs, vehicles and the public away from the animal.
  • Follow the approved fauna handling, transport and release procedure.

During habitat disturbance: 4. Daily records and incident control

Keep a daily fauna log for all sightings, nests, colonies, stop-work events, captures and releases. Include observations from the spotter catcher, supervisors and workers.

Record the number of birds observed where practicable, the location of nests and the behaviour that triggered a control. Note whether adults continued to provision or defend the area after work stopped.

Report any breach of a buffer, damage to a nest, injury, mortality or unauthorised disturbance immediately under the project incident procedure.

  • Use photographs or mapped points where this can be done without approaching the nest.
  • Record machinery, activity, time, weather and duration for each disturbance event.
  • Escalate repeated alarm, flushing or mobbing to the project ecologist and review the controls before work continues.

After habitat disturbance: 1. Post-clearance checks

Completion of clearing does not end the risk to a colony. Bell Miners may remain in retained vegetation, and dependent young may still rely on adults and helpers after fledging.

Inspect the work area and retained vegetation after each clearing stage and again at the end of the activity. Look for injured birds, displaced nests, trapped animals and damage to exclusion fencing.

Check that access tracks, machinery laydown areas and spoil have not entered the retained colony area.

Listen for normal calling and watch from a distance for adults carrying food or defending a nest. Avoid repeated close approaches.

  • Remove temporary hazards such as open pipes, uncovered pits, loose netting and deep containers.
  • Confirm that all active buffers remain intact until the authorised person releases them.
  • Record any change in colony location, activity or breeding status.

After habitat disturbance: 2. Reporting and approvals close-out

Prepare the required fauna and environmental reports before the approval deadline. Describe the area cleared, controls used, breeding places found, incidents, animals handled and outcomes.

Report deaths, injuries, damaged nests, unauthorised clearing and breaches of approval conditions through the agreed regulatory and project channels.

Provide maps and photographs that allow another ecologist to understand the colony boundary and the areas retained.

  • Include survey dates, observers, weather, effort and detection results.
  • Attach fauna handling and release records where applicable.
  • Confirm that all SMP, permit and approval conditions have been closed out or transferred to the next project stage.

After habitat disturbance: 3. Relocated and released animals

Confirm the release location, time and condition of every relocated animal with the authorised handler. Bell Miners are sedentary and socially dependent, so release into suitable habitat near the original colony should be considered where lawful and ecologically appropriate.

Do not release a bird into a different colony without specialist advice. Resident colonies defend their territory and may exclude unfamiliar birds.

Where a bird has been treated, follow the veterinarian or wildlife carer's instructions for monitoring and release.

  • Map release points and record the habitat condition.
  • Check that release areas contain dense cover and suitable eucalypt woodland or forest edge.
  • Report failed releases, repeated reappearance in the work area or signs of conflict with resident birds.

After habitat disturbance: 4. Incident review and monitoring

Review every stop-work event, nest discovery, injury and colony disturbance with the project ecologist and supervisor.

Monitor retained habitat where the action was close to an active colony or removed dense understorey. Use consistent observation points and record calling, presence, breeding activity and use of the retained area.

Increase controls if the colony disappears, calling declines sharply, adults stop provisioning or birds repeatedly move away from the retained habitat.

  • Compare post-work observations with pre-work maps and records.
  • Investigate whether noise, lighting, vegetation loss, fire, altered water availability or access caused the change.
  • Use findings to update the construction environmental management plan and future work methods.

Rehabilitation actions: 1. Restore colony habitat

Rehabilitation for Bell Miners should restore the structure and continuity of dense native vegetation rather than focus only on planting trees. The aim is to retain usable colony habitat, food resources, shelter and water connections over the long term.

Replant or regenerate dense native understorey beneath and around eucalypts. Include locally appropriate shrubs, ferns, sedges and vines where they form part of the original vegetation community.

Reconnect retained patches along gullies, creek lines and forest margins. Protect mature eucalypts and other canopy trees used for foraging.

Avoid creating open, highly manicured vegetation that removes the dense cover Bell Miners prefer.

  • Use local provenance plants where available and suitable.
  • Stage planting so that bare ground is not left exposed for long periods.
  • Protect new plantings from browsing, trampling, vehicles and unnecessary pruning.

Rehabilitation actions: 2. Manage weeds, fire and water

Control weeds carefully and in stages. Large-scale removal of dense understorey can cause a colony to move, so retain suitable cover while replacement vegetation establishes.

Plan fire and fuel treatments with the ecologist where a colony occupies the area. Avoid broad understorey removal during active breeding or when dependent young are present.

Protect natural water sources and vegetated creek margins. Avoid drainage changes, unnecessary flood control works and water loss that may reduce habitat quality.

  • Use staged weed control rather than clearing an entire colony area at once.
  • Keep herbicide, sediment, dust and washdown water away from retained vegetation and waterways.
  • Inspect rehabilitation after drought, flood, fire and major maintenance works.

Rehabilitation actions: 3. Nest and roost structures

Bell Miners build small cup nests in vegetation, usually in dense understorey. Standard nest boxes and bat boxes are not a substitute for retaining suitable live vegetation and are not a routine mitigation measure for this species.

Do not install artificial nests, nest platforms or roost structures unless a bird ecologist has designed the measure for the site and the relevant approval allows it.

Focus replacement effort on vegetation structure, shelter and connected habitat. This is more likely to support the colony's breeding system than an isolated artificial structure.

  • Retain branchy shrubs and dense foliage suitable for cup nest construction.
  • Do not remove natural nest material or relocate nests without authorisation.
  • Monitor whether restored vegetation is being used before considering additional artificial structures.

Rehabilitation actions: 4. Lighting, access and long-term monitoring

Keep artificial lighting away from retained colony habitat, creek vegetation and dense understorey. Use the lowest practical intensity, shield lights and direct them away from vegetation.

Restrict vehicle access and maintenance activity through retained habitat. Keep permanent access routes outside colony areas wherever practicable.

Monitor rehabilitation for several years where a colony was affected or where approval conditions require it. Bell Miner colonies may remain in one location for many years, but can move after major habitat disturbance.

  • Record vegetation cover, canopy condition, water availability, weed cover, calling birds, colony extent and breeding activity.
  • Schedule monitoring during the main breeding period and include additional checks after major disturbance.
  • Use monitoring results to replace failed plants, repair exclusion fencing, adjust lighting and revise maintenance practices.

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