South-western and southern Australia, in diagonal belt from southern Western Australia east to extreme south-western South Australia and, disjunctly, Eyre Peninsula.
Southern Eyre Peninsula, SA and south-western Australia, except the forested south-west corner, north to about Shark Bay and east, possibly as far as Eucla.
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).
Habits
Usually in pairs or small groups of up to 10 birds. Rather shy and elusive.
Food
Insects, mainly beetles and ants.
Voice
Song: extremely high, squeaky, thin notes leading in to several seconds of lower pitched, very rapid, hard, mechanical, vibrating trilling. Alarm consists of a rattling, mechanical 'trrrt-trt-trtt-trt-trrrt'.
Blue-breasted Fairywren (Malurus pulcherrimus) [XC463972]
by Mark Harper from Williams, Shire of Williams, Western Australia, Australia (call, song)
Blue-breasted Fairywren (Malurus pulcherrimus) [XC382713]
by Marc Anderson from Tomingley Rd, Dryandra Woodland, Western Australia, Australia (call, song)
Nest
Domed, loosely composed of grass, lined with finer materials and a few feathers, placed close to the ground in a low bush.
Eggs (Guide)
3; white, spotted with red-brown at the larger end; long-oval; about 18 x 12 mm. Incubation: 14 - 15 days; by female.
Young
Altricial, nidicolous. Fledge in 10 - 12 days.
Subspecies
Part of the "chestnut-shouldered group", which includes also Lovely Fairy-wren (Malurus amabilis), Variegated Fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti) and Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans). Protein data indicate that it is closest to Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans). Was once confused with subspecies assimilis of Variegated Fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti) and then considered closely allied with that species.
No subspecies.
Similar Species
Male with male Variegated Fairy-wren (Malurus lamberti) which has a much darker blue breast, females have grey-brown upperparts and lack any blue tint around the head and male with male Red-winged Fairy-wren (Malurus elegans) which has a silvery blue crown, ear coverts and back, and a very dark blue breast, females have a black bill, and also female with female Splendid Fairy-wren (Malurus splendens) which have paler, rufous lores but lack any blue tint about the head.
Compare Images
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
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