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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).
A characteristic of all Fairy-wrens is that during their breeding season the males have much more colourful plumages than the females. While lower-ranked males molt back into inconspicuous plumages during the winter season, the α-male retains its colourful breeding plumage all year round (see photos).
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
Female Variegated Fairy-wren taking a bath (click on image for larger version)