Blue-breasted Fairywren

The Blue-breasted Fairywren (Malurus pulcherrimus), a small and vibrant bird, is a member of the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is known for its striking sexual dimorphism, particularly during the breeding season when the male sports a bright blue crown, ear coverts, and upper back, along with red shoulders. This vivid display is set against a dark blue throat, grey-brown tail and wings, and pale underparts. Outside of the breeding season, males, along with females and juveniles, exhibit a more subdued grey-brown plumage.

Identification Tips

When identifying the Blue-breasted Fairywren, look for the male's distinctive breeding colors: a bright blue crown and upper back, red shoulders, and a dark blue throat. In contrast, non-breeding males, females, and juveniles can be recognized by their predominantly grey-brown plumage.

Habitat

This species is endemic to southern Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, favoring habitats within this range.

Distribution

The Blue-breasted Fairywren is found in inland south-western Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. There is a notable gap in their distribution, spanning three hundred kilometers from the head of the Great Australian Bight to their reappearance on Eyre Peninsula.

Behaviour

The Blue-breasted Fairywren is a secretive and not commonly observed bird. Females may reveal themselves when the wren distress call is mimicked, while adult males are even more elusive, often only seen briefly in dense vegetation.

Song & Calls

The contact call of the Blue-breasted Fairywren is a soft, short reed-like trill, while the alarm call consists of short churring notes. The male's song is the least distinctive among the Australasian wrens, characterized by a soft whirring, buzzing trill, typically delivered from within the shelter of foliage.

Breeding

Breeding season is relatively short, from August to November, allowing for one, sometimes two, clutches per year. Nest building and brooding are tasks undertaken by the female, with the nest construction taking about a week. The clutch usually consists of three creamy eggs with reddish-brown speckles. Both parents and family group members contribute to feeding the nestlings. The "rodent-run" technique is employed by both sexes to distract predators from the nest or young.

Diet and Feeding

The Blue-breasted Fairywren predominantly feeds on the ground, consuming a diet of beetles, grubs, ants, weevils, flies, wasps, and other small invertebrates.

Conservation status

The Blue-breasted Fairywren is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.