Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans)

Other Names (World)
Red-winged Fairy-wren, Red-winged Fairywren, Elegant Fairy-wren, Marsh Wren, Marsh Blue Wren, Elegant Wren, Elegant Blue Wren, Graceful Wren, Graceful Blue Wren, Red-winged Wren, Red-winged Blue Wren

Family
Maluridae (Fairy-wrens)

Size
14 - 16 cm

First Described (Guide)
Gould, 1837

Derivation
Mal-ür'-us - Gk, malacos, soft; Gk, oura, tail: ël'-e-gans - L., handsome

Abundance (Guide)
C

Common, especially in the south-west of its range. Sedentary.

Habitat
Dense undergrowth of tall eucalypt forests, usually in wet gullies. Also in dense vegetation bordering streams and swamps.

Range (Guide)

Australia (B).

Forested south-western corner of Australia.

Coastal districts of south-western Australia from Moora to the Stirling Range.

Rarity Status
Currently this species is not classified as a rarity in this country OR information has not been updated.

Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).

Status LC
Vulnerable.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Habits
Usually in pairs or small groups.

Food
Insects, mainly ants and beetles.

Voice
Alarm call is a strident, rapid 'trrit-trrit-trrit'. Song: begins with several squeaky notes followed by a rather rattling, uniform trill.

(35Kb) © ? (1)

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (8)...)

Red-winged Fairywren (Malurus elegans) [XC382072]
by Marc Anderson from Arpenteur Nature Reserve, Cheynes Beach, Western Australia, Australia (song)

Red-winged Fairywren (Malurus elegans) [XC382609]
by Marc Anderson from Cheynes Beach Caravan Park, Western Australia, Australia (call, song)

Breeding Season (Guide)
August - November.

Nest
Dome-shaped, composed of dried grasses and strips of bark, placed near the ground in a low bush.

Eggs (Guide)
2 or 3; white, spotted with pink-brown at the larger end; long-oval; about 15 x 12 mm. Incubation: 14 - 15 days; by female.

Young
Altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in 11 - 12 days.

Subspecies
Part of the "chestnut-shouldered group", which includes also Lovely Fairy-wren (Malurus amabilis), Variegated Fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti) and Blue-breasted Fairy-wren (Malurus pulcherrimus). Protein data indicate that present species is most closely allied to Blue-breasted Fairy-wren (Malurus pulcherrimus).

No subspecies.

Similar Species
Variegated Fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti) which has a darker blue crown, ear coverts and back and Blue-breasted Fairy-wren (Malurus pulcherrimus) which has a lighter blue breast and darker blue crown, ear coverts and back.

References
See References.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9

Files:

JPG files for Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans) - 10 files

MP3 files for Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans) - 1 files

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BirdLife International

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