Guardian Nature School Team Contact Blog Project Noah Facebook Project Noah Twitter

A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife

Join Project Noah!
nature school apple icon

Project Noah Nature School visit nature school

Purple-backed Fairy-wren (male)

Malurus lamberti rogersi

Description:

In 2018, the purple-backed fairy-wren was finally declared a new species, after being incorrectly labelled a Variegated Fairy-wren prior to the new discovery (they look very similar). You can read about the news here: https://ebird.org/australia/news/2018-eb... "Like other fairywrens, it is notable for its marked sexual dimorphism, males adopting a highly visible breeding plumage of brilliant iridescent blue and chestnut contrasting with black and grey-brown. The brightly coloured crown and ear tufts are prominently featured in breeding displays. The male in breeding plumage has striking bright blue ear coverts and blue-purple crown and forehead, a black throat and nape, a blue-purple upper back, chestnut shoulders and a bluish-grey tail. The wings are drab brown and the belly white." (Wiki)

Habitat:

Flitting around amongst the trees near the wetlands at the waste water treatment.

Notes:

There are four sub-species of which M. a. rogersi which is located in the Kimberley region and North-Western Australia. Reference: The Michael Morcombe eGuide to Australian Birds, Mobile App.

Species ID Suggestions



Sign in to suggest organism ID

No Comments

armadeus.4
Spotted by
armadeus.4

Spotted on Jul 25, 2015
Submitted on Sep 24, 2015

Related Spottings

Superb Fairy-wren Superb Fairywren Red-Backed Fairy-Wren Variegated Fairy Wren

Nearby Spottings

Pied Butcherbird Yellow White-eye/Australian White-eye Black-faced Woodswallow Yellow White-eye
Noah Guardians
Noah Sponsors
join Project Noah Team

Join the Project Noah Team