Purple-crowned Fairywren
Malurus coronatus
Victoria R Crossing, NW NT IMG_5458 20160712 - coronatus male breeding plumage. CLICK for a second pic.
Notes: Largest fairywren. Bill black; long upright blue tail w. all but
central pair of feathers broadly
tipped white. Male breeding: crown & nape purple
w. black on top of crown; broad black lores,
ear-coverts & collar. Male non-breeding:
grey cap, black lores, ear-coverts. Female: dark chestnut
ear-coverts, white eye-ring &
supercilium, grey cap. Juvenile like female but brown cap. Ssp mac-
gillivrayi
tail greenish-blue, w. belly whiter than nominate coronatus. A riparian habitat specialist.
Range from Morcombe & Stewart©
Lawn Hill NP, NW Qld IMG_0187 20160903 - macgillivrayi male breeding plumage. CLICK for another view, showing extentof purple crown & black mark on it.
Lawn Hill NP, NW Qld IMG_0322 20160904 - macgillivrayi male non-breeding plumage: black ear-coverts, faded grey crown& face. CLICK for another view.
Lawn Hill NP, NW Qld IMG_2697 20170815 - macgillivrayi female: deep chestnut ear-coverts, grey cap, white eye-ring &supercilium. CLICK for another view.
Lawn Hill NP, NW Qld IMG_0324 20160904 - macgillivrayi male breeding plumage, rear view
Lawn Hill NP, NW Qld IMG_0148 20160903 - macgillivrayi female w. particularly light chestnut ear-coverts.
Gregory River, FNW Qld IMG_0769 20160906 - macgillivrayi male, juvenile.
location MVI_6666 20180909