Superb Fairywren

Malurus cyaneus

Mt Ormond, Elwood, Melbourne, S Vic IMG_2012 20211008 - cyanochlamys male in breeding plumage. CLICK for one at
Clarksdale Bird Sanctuary, nr Linton SW Vic: 20240105.

Notes: Male breeding: black eye-stripe, bill & black or dark blue throat; in S, the blue can bleed
onto white breast. Female: duller blue tail, rufous bill & lores. Non-breeding male like female but
black bill, navy-blue tail. Juvenile like female but brown tail. Male ssp cyanochlamys small, pale;
in N a pale silvery blue crown, ear tufts & mantle. Female ssp leggei is much greyer above, w.
bluer tail. Nominate ssp cyaneus is larger, darker. Ssp elizabethae larger; male: a deep blue.

Range from Morcombe & Stewart© Habitat a mosaic of dense
vegetation & bare patches.
Barwin River, Inverleigh, S Vic IMG_6796 20210330 - cyanochlamys female: rufous lores & bill, blue in tail. CLICK for a
female & male in breeding plumage. Western Treatment Plant, Werribee, SC Vic 20190924. Organ Pipes NP, Calder, SC Vic IMG_0185 20201216 - cyanochlamys 3 juveniles. CLICK for the precursor, Glenrowan Tourist
Park, N Vic 20211108. Organ Pipes NP, Calder, SC Vic IMG_9580 20190608 - cyanochlamys male in eclipse plumage. CLICK for another in partial
eclipse. Batemans Bay, SE NSW 20190307. Salt Creek, Coorong, SE SA IMG_6306 20181208 - leggei male in breeding plumage. CLICK for another. Morialta Conservation Reserve, Woodforde, SE SA IMG_5944 20181206 - leggei female (bill, lores, eye-ring all rufous; blue
in tail). CLICK for juvenile (brown tail). Eaglehawk Neck, SE Tas IMG_4145 20210604 - cyaneus male in breeding plumage. CLICK for male partial eclipse plumage.
Dianna's Basin Cons Area, NE Tas 20160217. Neck Reserve, Bruny Island, SE Tas IMG_7222 20210610 - cyaneus female. CLICK for one w. seed in bill at Stewarts Bay,
Port Arthur 20210603. Colliers Swamp Conservation Area, S King Island, Tas IMG_2565 20211218 - elizabethae male breeding: deep blue, wings
dark grey, extensive blue wash across upper belly. CLICK for another pic. Currie, King Island, Tas IMG_2277 20211218 - elizabethae juvenile: brown tail. Morialta Conservation Reserve, Woodforde, SE SA MVI_5880 20181206 - leggei male in breeding plumage Bruny Island, SE Tas MVI_1266 20160223 - cyaneus male in partial eclipse plumage Organ Pipes NP, Calder, SC Vic MVI_9569 20190608 - - cyanochlamys male eclipse plumage