About the Red-backed Fairywren
The red-backed fairywren is a species of passerine bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is endemic to Australia and can be found near rivers and coastal areas along the northern and eastern coastlines from the Kimberley in the northwest to the Hunter Region in New South Wales. The male adopts a striking breeding plumage, with a black head, upperparts and tail, and a brightly coloured red back and brown wings. The female has brownish upperparts and paler underparts. The male in eclipse plumage and the juvenile resemble the female. Some males remain in non-breeding plumage while breeding. Two subspecies are recognised; the nominate M. m. melanocephalus of eastern Australia has…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The smallest member of the genus Malurus, the red-backed fairywren measures 11.5 centimetres (4.5 in) and weighs 5–10 g (0.18–0.35 oz), averaging around 8 g (0.28 oz). The tail is approximately 6 centimetres (2.4 in) long and is black in the breeding male, and brown in eclipse males, females, and juvenile birds. Averaging 8.6 mm (0.3 in), the bill is relatively long, narrow, pointed, and wider at the base. Wider than it is deep, the bill is similar in shape to those of other birds that feed by probing or picking insects off of their environs. Voice: The typical song used by the red-backed fairywren to advertise its territory is similar to that of other fairywrens, namely a reel made up of an introductory note followed by repeated short segments of song, starting weak and soft and ending high and shrill with several syllables. The call is mostly made by the male during mating season.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Red-backed Fairywren lives
When to see the Red-backed Fairywren
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Variegated FairywrenMalurus lambertiThe variegated fairywren is 14–15 cm (5.5–6 in) long and weighs 6–11 g (0.21–0.39 oz).
Splendid FairywrenMalurus splendensThe splendid fairywren is a small, long-tailed bird 14 cm (5.5 in) long.
Purple-backed FairywrenMalurus assimilisThe purple-backed fairywren is on average 14.5 cm (5.5 in) long.
Side by side: Red-backed Fairywren vs Superb Fairywren · Red-backed Fairywren vs Variegated Fairywren
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