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Variegated Fairy-wren |
Sightings
Although females are hard to identify and we did not see a male accompanying the bird shown, the darkness of the lores and eyerings suggest that we have spotted a Variegated Fairy-wren (race "assimilis") on the outskirts of Narrabri, New South Wales (rather than a male Superb Fairy-wren in its winter plumage) in March 2007.
Several families of Variegated Fairy-wrens were spotted by us, without any doubt about their identification, in the area 20-30 km east of Narrabri in August 2008. At the time we saw at least two families sharing their territories with Superb Fairy-wrens (early in the breeding season).
Photos
Race assimilis
Lateral view of a male Variegated Fairy-wren
Here male with its head turned, showing the purplish blue colour of its crown; this identifies the bird as a specimen of race "assimilis"
Here two males conveniently aligned such that one is seen from the front, the other sideways; note the complexity of the colour patterns giving the species its name
Male Variegated Fairy-wren chasing insects in a pine tree
The identification of this bird as a male Variegated Fairy-wren, and its observation together with the female below, leads us to believe that the female shown has been correctly identified. This male, seen in March 2008, is just losing its breeding plumage, but the characteristic colour pattern is still visible
Lateral view of a female Variegated Fairy-wren
Lateral view of a female Variegated Fairy-wren; lesser-quality photo, but clearer line of sight
Here again a female Variegated Fairy-wren, this one was observed together with a male, making its identification certain