Wild Bird Wednesday & Nature Notes - A bird with nasty habits

At Hay, NSW, on a bend of the Murrumbidgee River, 

I stood on the levee to catch the winter sun

 from my elevated position, I spied a youngster

perched on a nest in the treetop

it called for support and within winking, not just one but at 

least twenty of these sharp beaked monsters were harassing me.

These Miner birds, Manorina somethingorotheriana, I cannot,

with the best will in the world, nut out which of the three types it is.

I've had another look and it is the Noisy Miner,
Manorina melanocephala

These birds work in large family groups, have become adapted to 

human habitation, and murderous towards the young of other birds.

I have seen two of them hacking a baby swallow to death.

Miners are widespread and intelligent 

they spied an  opportunity
and again came in in numbers to worry away at this tarpaulin
in a caravan park, until they had loosened the fibers

and could tear away the whole corner of the fabric.

They seem to work like bikie gangs and terrorise 

all other birds in their neighbourhood.

They are pretty to look at and entertaining to watch until they go

on a killing spree.

They are classed among the honeyeaters but are most definitely omnivorous.

Linking with Stewart's

Wild Bird Wednesday

and

Michelle's Nature Notes