Lovely Fairywren
Malurus amabilis
A small bird with a long blue and white tail that is held cocked. Tail is much shorter than that of Variegated Fairywren. Breeding male has a pale blue helmet, brownish wings, and a white belly. Females and nonbreeding males are similar to each other: they are completely white underneath (all the way up to the chin) with blue back, crown, and cheeks. They have white eye rings and white in front of their eyes, giving them a spectacled appearance. This species is typically found on the edges of rainforests, mangroves, and dense vegetation in coastal far northern Queensland, where it is the only "blue" fairywren.
Identification
Like 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. The brightly coloured crown and ear tufts are prominently featured in breeding displays. The male in breeding plumage has striking azure blue ear coverts, crown and upper back, a black throat and nape, chestnut shoulders and a white-tipped blue tail. The wings are black and the belly white. The female has smoky blue upperparts and tail, with turquoise ear tufts, and dark grey wings, and white below. Both sexes have black bills, brown eyes and flesh-grey feet. Immature birds resemble females but have brown bills.
Taxonomy
It is one of twelve species of the genus Malurus, commonly known as fairywrens, found in Australia and lowland New Guinea. Within the genus it belongs to a group of five very similar species known collectively as chestnut-shouldered fairywrens. The other four species are the variegated fairywren, purple-backed fairywren, red-winged fairywren, and the blue-breasted fairywren. A 2011 analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA found that the lovely fairywren is the sister taxon of the Purple-backed fairywren.<p>The lovely fairywren was first described by the ornithologist John Gould in 1852, from a male specimen collected by Captain Owen Stanley in Cape York. Gould expected that a female would resemble that of a red-winged fairywren, and consequently described female specimens collected by John Jardine as a new species, Malurus hypoleucos. The generic name Malurus is from the Greek malos (soft) and oura (tail), while the specific epithet comes from the Latin adjective ămābǐlis, meaning lovely. Lovely fairywren has been designated as its official name by the IOU. Other names for the species include lovely fairy-wren.
- Scientific name
- Malurus amabilis
- Authority
- Gould, 1852
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Maluridae
- Genus
- Malurus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The lovely fairywren is insectivorous and eats several types of insects, including caterpillars.<p>The lovely fairywren is brood-parasitized by the brush cuckoo.
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Small warbler, dull olive overall with intense yellow throat. Adult males have black mask bordered above by a white band. Females and immatures are duller but always have contrasting yellow throat and undertail coverts. Common and widespread breeder throughout North America. Found in shrubby wet areas, including marshes, forest edges, and fields. Often hides in thick vegetation, but males often perch conspicuously when singing. Listen for ringing “witchity-witchity-witchity” song and low, harsh call notes. Very short, rounded wings, which equates to it being a short-distance migrant: winters from the southern U.S. to Central America.
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