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Like other fairywrens, this species displays marked sexual dimorphism and one or more males of a social group grow brightly coloured plumage during the breeding season.
Not listed
Endemic to Australia
Indigenous: Yundiyundi
At a glance
FamilyFairywrens
SizeTiny
RarityCommon
HabitatDense shrubs, grassy margins, scrub, hedgerows, and low cover near open feeding patches.
Best timeMost reliable in New South Wales from September to October.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Rob Nicholson
Range map
Range map
3975visible hotspots
39218visible records
5states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
A small bird with a long blue tail that is held cocked. Females and nonbreeding males are very plain pale gray, and the patch between the eye and bill (lores) is also pale (compared to Purple-backed Fairywren which has very dark reddish lores). This species is typically found in very open and arid country with sparse bushes, where it often perches on the very top of bushes. Its call is a very fast trill.
Behavior
Breeding males are usually brilliant sapphire blue with bright white wing patches.
Gallery