small bird series: ♂ red-backed fairy wren

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Red-backed Fairy-wren
Scientific Name: Malurus melanocephalus
Description: This is the smallest of the fairy-wrens, with the male in breeding plumage inmistakable; glossy black with a scarlet saddle, black bill and shortish tail with a squared tip. Adult non-breeding males and immature birds are very similar to the females which are plain warm-brown with a pinkish-brown bill, though males have a black bill. The tail of the females is longer and more pointed. These wrens have no blue in their plumage at all. They are usually in small family groups with mainly brownish birds.
Similar species: The breeding male is unmistakable. Eclipse (non-breeding) males and females are a warm brown with pale lores and eye-ring and are smaller than the similar Superb Fairy-wren M. cyaneus, which have orange-red lores. The Variegated Fairy-wren is also bigger with a longer tail. These wrens rarely overlap with the similar White-winged Fairy-wren M leucopterus.
Distribution: Red-backed Wrens are endemic (found only there) to north and east Australia.
Habitat: They are found in dense understorey dominated by tall grasses in tropical and sub-tropical areas.
Seasonal movements: Resident and sedentary, and may move locally in the non-breeding season.
Feeding: Red-backed Wrens feed on small insects and arthropods, feeding in small groups among tall grasses and shrubs, sometimes in trees.
Breeding: Little is known about their breeding habits. The small dome-shaped nest is well-hidden and placed close to the ground, often in grass tussocks. The nest is made of grasses, bark strips and spiders web, lined with fine grasses and feathers. The eggs are white, splotched and spotted with red-brown marks. The female mainly incubates and broods the young. Both parents feed the nestlings, sometimes helped by others in the group, and remove the faecal sacs.
This is the smallest of the Fairy-wrens and is sometimes known as the Elfin Wren.
Calls: The call is a weak high-pitched reeling song, soft and unobstrusive, often only heard from quite close.
Minimum Size: 9cm
Maximum Size: 13cm
Average size: 11cm
Average weight: 8g
Breeding season: August to January
Clutch Size: 2-3
Incubation: 12 days
Nestling Period: 11 days
(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net)

© Chris Burns 2021
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This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.

Taken in: Australia / Queensland / Rocklea (show map)

Taken on: May 29, 2021

Tags:

bird

Australian bird

fauna

wren

Red-backed Fairy-wren

Malurus melanocephalus

small bird

Nikon D500

Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR

nature

outdoor

Oxley Common

Brisbane

Queensland

Australia « less

Sets appears in: • Birds • Oxley Creek Common

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Camera: Nikon D500, f/10.0, 1/400 sec, 500mm (=750mm), ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D500
Lens:	200.0-500.0 mm f/5.6
Aperture:	f/10.0
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/400)
Focal Length:	500mm (35mm equivalent: 750mm)
ISO:	400
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Saturation:	High
Sharpness:	Hard
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop 22.3 (Windows)
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