About the Red-winged Fairywren
The red-winged fairywren is a species of passerine bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is non-migratory and endemic to the southwestern corner of Western Australia. Exhibiting a high degree of sexual dimorphism, the male adopts a brilliantly coloured breeding plumage, with an iridescent silvery-blue crown, ear coverts and upper back, red shoulders, contrasting with a black throat, grey-brown tail and wings and pale underparts. Non-breeding males, females and juveniles have predominantly grey-brown plumage, though males may bear isolated blue and black feathers. No separate subspecies are recognised. Similar in appearance and closely related to the variegated fairywren and…
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The red-winged fairywren is 15 cm (6 in) long and weighs 8–11 g (0.28–0.39 oz), making it the largest of the fairywrens. The average tail length is 7.5 cm (3.0 in), among the longest in the genus. Averaging 10 mm (0.4 in) in males and 9.3 mm (0.4 in) in females, the bill is relatively long, narrow and 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 for or by picking insects off of their environs. Voice: Vocal communication among red-winged fairywrens is used primarily for communication between birds in a social group and for advertising and defending a territory. They are able to distinguish different individuals on the basis of song alone, which is integral to the identification of group members and strangers.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the Red-winged Fairywren lives
When to see the Red-winged Fairywren
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Lovely FairywrenMalurus amabilisLike other fairywrens, the lovely fairywren 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.
Blue-breasted FairywrenMalurus pulcherrimusThe contact call is a soft, short reed-like trill.
White-shouldered FairywrenMalurus alboscapulatusThe adult male is all shiny black except for their white shoulders (scapulars), but unlike the better-known Australian fairywrens there is no eclipse male plumage.
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