Species guide
Superb Fairywren: how to recognise it
A bird of Oceania. Learn the marks that make it easy to identify, then practise with real photographs in Lore.
Practise with real photosAll species guides
Photo © Emily Sonter · CC BY-NC · iNaturalist · all photo credits
- Scientific name
- Malurus cyaneus
- Family
- Fairywrens and Allies
- Size
- About 13–15 cm
- Habitat
- Gardens, heath and shrubby woodland
- Found in
- Oceania
The key marks
A tiny bird that holds its tail upright. The breeding male is bright blue with a black mask; females and young are plain brown with a reddish bill.
Voice
A rapid, high-pitched reeling trill.
Good to know
Males often present a yellow flower petal to a female during courtship, and family groups raise young together.
Where and when
You can expect to find it in gardens, heath and shrubby woodland. It is especially common in Australia. Distribution changes with the seasons and from year to year, so check a recent local observation source before you go looking.