Noisy miners

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Masterfincher
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Hi, does anyone have trouble with noisy miners? I have a couple around that come down and appear to chase my finches, but from what i have read, they dont eat other birds. Are they just trying to chase them away? My finches are definately frightened. I also get butcher birds - i know they are trying to eat them.
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Shane Gowland
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Noisy miners are very territorial and are simply trying to scare away other birds. They have no intention of eating your finches.
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Tiaris
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I once saw a clutch of young wild redbrows fledge at home & fly across the lawn. A Noisy Miner caught one in mid-air, carried it to a tree and bashed it on the branch to kill it, then carried it off into the bush (presumably to eat it or feed it to its young). Whether it was eaten or not, at the end of the day it still deliberately caught & killed the young redbrow so I would regard them as a definite predation risk for finches as well as a chasing nuisance.
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matcho
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MF,

I have them at home and they do cause a bit of grief because of their territory issues but they can be very aggressive in regards to young chicks/fledglings out in the wild, don't know whether they would have eaten the chick as Tiaris describes but have had twice to take young wattlebirds to the vet for WIRES as they pummeled them severely to the point they were unable to fly. They do have the scare factor in regards to flying on the wire but my birds hear the call, sit back on the perches and give them the finger. On the other hand when they hear the butcherbird they shut down completely, head for cover and wait until it has done its thing and gone. Perches away from the wire help immensely plus i have clear perspex on the western side of my aviary with perches close to the wire, they come in for the assault, bounce off and go.

They are a worry for the scare factor but I find it is a seasonal thing.

Good luck

Ken.
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Masterfincher
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Location: Bundaberg, Q

Thanks everyone. I'm inclined to go with Tiaris on this one - they seem too aggressive and my finches seem more afraid of them than the butcherbirds. I'll just keep shooing them away and maybe they'll get the hint :)
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Tiaris
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You'd have more chance if the shooing had a t in it.
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Shane Gowland
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Tiaris wrote:You'd have more chance if the shooing had a t in it.
It should be mentioned that they're a native species and subsequently protected. So if you're going to shoo them with a 't,' be careful about it.
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Finchy
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Tiaris wrote:You'd have more chance if the shooing had a t in it.
:lafhard: :D
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vettepilot_6
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I have them here..but after a week or so they have given up..unlike the butcher birds who come back many times through the week.. :thumbup:
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charmaine
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Location: paralowie south australia

I have a tall tree in the neighbours yards with numerous miner birds that continually bomb my aviaries. They are so aggressive that they come from nowhere in packs to kill an escapee that has no chance of coming back to their cage. I squirted one with a pyrethrins based insect repellant and I haven't seen one since. If they come back I intend to stand quietly inside the aviary and spray them again through the wire so it doesnt affect my finches. Hopefully they might get the message.
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