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Red-backed Fairy-wren

Malurus melanocephalus

Description:

This is the smallest of the fairy-wrens, with the male in breeding plumage inmistakable; glossy black with a scarlet saddle, black bill and shortish tail with a squared tip. Adult non-breeding males and immature birds are very similar to the females which are plain warm-brown with a pinkish-brown bill, though males have a black bill. The tail of the females is longer and more pointed. These wrens have no blue in their plumage at all. They are usually in small family groups with mainly brownish birds.

Habitat:

Parkland

Notes:

Feeding: Red-backed Wrens feed on small insects and arthropods, feeding in small groups among tall grasses and shrubs, sometimes in trees. Breeding: Little is known about their breeding habits. The small dome-shaped nest is well-hidden and placed close to the ground, often in grass tussocks. The nest is made of grasses, bark strips and spiders web, lined with fine grasses and feathers. The eggs are white, splotched and spotted with red-brown marks. The female mainly incubates and broods the young. Both parents feed the nestlings, sometimes

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8 Comments

MacChristiansen
MacChristiansen 8 years ago

Thanks armadeus.4

MacChristiansen
MacChristiansen 8 years ago

Thanks Bob

armadeus.4
armadeus.4 8 years ago

Aaah...I love these little Fairy-wrens! So much fun trying to photograph them. Wonderful series Mac. Thank you for sharing :)

triggsturner
triggsturner 8 years ago

Brilliant series Mark.

MacChristiansen
MacChristiansen 8 years ago

Thanks outsidegirl0

MacChristiansen
MacChristiansen 8 years ago

Thanks Neil

outsidegirl0
outsidegirl0 8 years ago

gorgeous spotting!

Neil Ross
Neil Ross 8 years ago

Lovely spotting, Mac. I had no idea we had black wrens. Live and learn :)

MacChristiansen
Spotted by
MacChristiansen

QLD, Australia

Spotted on Mar 17, 2016
Submitted on Mar 17, 2016

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