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Red-backed Fairywren ( Male )

Malurus melanocephalus

Description:

The male birds are black with a red back and the tail held erect has some blue in it, but the females are brown with buff underparts, but there is no blue present in the tail, which is also held erect. Legs and feet brown, eyes dark brown, bill black.

Notes:

Average size 12cm These are native to Australia and can be found near rivers and coastal areas along the northern and eastern coastlines from the Kimberley region in the northwest of Western Australia to the Hunter River in New South Wales. The preferred habitat is heathland, open woodland and among foreshore dunes particularly where low shrubs and tall grasses provide cover. They are fairly common here but you will need to go looking for them, try beach access paths along the Sandy Point Road. They are predominantly insectivorous eating a wide variety of insects, including beetles such as weevils, bugs, grasshoppers, moths, wasps and cicadas, seeds and other plant material make up a small proportion of their diet. During the mating season, the male moults its brown feathers and displays the striking plumage seen in the upper photo, females and young birds have the inconspicuous plumage in the lower photo. The mating season lasts from August to February, and coincides with the arrival of the rainy season in northern Australia, a spherical nest is constructed of dried grasses and usually lined with smaller, finer grasses and hair and concealed in grass tussocks or low shrubs.

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5 Comments

MacChristiansen
MacChristiansen 11 years ago

Thanks AndreaLim

Ali Hemati Pour
Ali Hemati Pour 11 years ago

So Cute!!

AndreaLim
AndreaLim 11 years ago

Spectacular colours on this fairy wren! Great spotting!

YogeshSave
YogeshSave 11 years ago

wow!

Maria dB
Maria dB 11 years ago

lovely

MacChristiansen
Spotted by
MacChristiansen

Queensland, Australia

Spotted on Jul 16, 2012
Submitted on Jul 16, 2012

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