Fairy-wrens at the bottom of the garden

We are lucky enough to have three varieties of these delightful birds in our gardens. The one most people will know is the superb fairy-wren, (Malurus cyaneus).

Superb fairy-wrens, like all fairy-wren species, work in cooperative groups. There are often subordinate males who help with raising the young, which is why you often see more than one colourful bird with each group. However, unlike some bird species, fairy-wrens are not monogamous, and in the key breeding time, during spring and the first half of summer, males can spend upwards of three hours a day pursuing females in their own, and neighbouring communities. Despite the appearance of a well-bonded couple, it seems that some 76% of offspring are sired by males other than the females social mate. Researchers have described them as the least faithful of all bird species.

Females are a plain brown, with the lores, (that region between the eye and bill, on the side of the bird’s head), bill and eyebrows a reddish brown. They can breed right through to late summer and the nest is made of grass, with a side entrance. The nest is well hidden in thick vegetation generally within 1.5 metres of the ground, so very exposed to feral predators. If we want to keep our fairywrens, we must ensure we keep thick, low shrubbery and ensure our pets are under control at all times. Cleared undergrowth is a disaster for birds like this.

Always great fun to watch as the fledglings develop. Superb fairy-wrens range right down the east coast of Australia and around to South Australia, including Tasmania. In the botanic garden there is a lovely group often spotted near the rose garden.

Variegated fairy-wrens, (Malurus lamberti), though rarer to see around this area than superb fairy-wrens, actually cover most of Australia in their range. It is just the southernmost shores of WA, SA and the Eyre peninsula that don’t have them. They love heathlands and open forests, and, again, thick ground cover is a must. The colours of the male are stunning, as you can see in these photos. They are slightly larger than the superb and also have slightly longer tails.

The way to tell the difference to the superb female is the deepness of the colour of the lore and eyebrow. The variegated fairy-wren female’s is a much darker reddish brown. They can have up to three broods in a season, each with 2-4 young. On average 4 will be successfully fledged per season. Nestlings and fledglings are cared for, cooperatively, by a group of up to four adult birds. Females can nest again within a week of the young leaving the nest, with helper males left to raise the fledglings. By the time they are six weeks old these young birds may also be helping to tend to the second brood.

Clearly so different to the superb, which is blue and black, the variegated includes purple and reddish browns. In the botanic garden there is a group that can be seen about halfway in. Sometimes on the main path and sometimes between the main path and the creek walk.

Both superb and variegated fairy-wrens go through a moult at the end of the breeding season. They lose their bright colours and take on the plain browns of the females and juveniles. This may only last a month or two before they moult again into their full colours. This dull phase is known as “eclipse” plumage. The males can still be distinguished as they keep their black beak, lack the rich reddish brown colouring around the eyes and often have a blue tinge to those distinctive tail feathers.

A much rarer sight is of the red-backed fairy-wren. (Malurus melanocephalus). They are black, though with that blue sheen so familiar in many birds, and bright red. They are occasionally spotted at the botanic garden, but are shy creatures and any noise will have them heading for the undergrowth. A native of northern Australia, their range starts in about Broome, WA and crosses the entire north, coming down coastal NSW as far as about Gloucester.

At least the female is pretty easy to spot, if it is alone, as there is none of the reddish brown around the eyes at all. Their preferred territory is tropical and subtropical grasslands, occasionally in rainforests and when venturing a little further inland they prefer the tall grasses along river banks. If you spot one in the botanic garden, please let us know. We love to hear where they are when spotted.

As the name implies, these are small birds, around the 14cm mark top to toe, and you’ll spot them on the ground and, generally, low in the shrubbery. They love eating insects, including grass-hoppers and ants, and will also eat small seeds and fruit. The trilling noise of the superb fairy-wren is quite distinctive and if you follow it you are sure to enjoy the view. How lucky are we to have such beautiful birds in our own gardens.

Photos and article by Cheryl Cooper.