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Project Noah Nature School
Malurus melanocephalus cruentatus
The Red-backed Fairy-wren is the smallest of Australia’s fairy-wrens. Males are glossy black with a striking red patch on the back and rump. The race cruentatus have a brighter crimson patch and a shorter tail. Like most other fairy-wrens, when in non-breeding plumage they are brown above and off white below. Females and juvenile birds also have brown upperparts above and whitish underparts.
Often flitting around amongst the grass, and up into the trees around the Mankajarra wetlands.
It has taken many blurred photos to finally get images of this stunning little fairy-wren. I think there are possibly two little groups around the wetlands. They have a loud call which alerts me to them being around. It's quite fun trying to hunt them down for a photo as they're quite active! I haven't worked out why they "fluff up" with a little crest on top and under the chin (pic 2) - perhaps he was trying to warn me off??? Pics of female: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/139... First reference for identification: The Michael Morcombe eGuide to Australian Birds, Mobile App. Reference: http://birdlife.org.au/bird-profile/red-...
Spotted on Mar 21, 2015
Submitted on Mar 22, 2015
2 Comments
Thank you James :) The crimson colour is outstanding in the sunlight. In the second pic it seemed like he was trying to show his back to me...kind of like broadening his shoulders and fluffing up all at once...interesting behaviour.
Lovely, shame it was in shadow. Great spotting!