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Superb Fairywren

Malurus cyaneus

Photo by CataAna
Published on Project Noah
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-26.5718, 148.79

Field Notes

Description:

The blue markings are less vivid outside mating season.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)

Here's a photo of a boy in full color: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/3317001
And they so live up to it Mitch. They are the jauntiest little puff-ball birds, and the males' breeding colors are amazing.
That may be the best common name I've ever heard.
This male is properly described as "going into eclipse". Eclipse is the season of non-breading plumage. In Superb fariywrens, eclipse males have the same unmarked tan plumage as the females, except for their tails which are a dusky dark blue. The main distinction between eclipse males and females is that males have black bills and females have a reddish-brown bill.

Spotted for Missions

Photographed
PublishedMay 15, 2011

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