Superb Fairywren

Malurus cyaneus ‡

Mt Ormond, Elwood, Melbourne, S Vic IMG_2012 20211008 - cyanochlamys male in breeding plumage. CLICK for
one in partial eclipse. Batemans Bay, SE NSW 20190307.

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. Cook's Mill, Cathedral Range NP, C Vic IMG_8126 20241209 - cyanochlamys female. CLICK for male, Beauchamp
Falls Camp, SC Vic 20241130. Cleland, Mt Lofty, SE SA IMG_2132 20241024 - leggei male in breeding plumage. CLICK for one at Salt Creek,
Coorong, SE SA 20181208. Mt Lofty Botanic Garden, SE SA IMG_2040 20241023 - leggei female (bill, lores, eye-ring all rufous; blue in tail).
CLICK for male there. 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. Lighthouse, Cape Borda, Kangaroo Isl, SE SA IMG_5414 20241108 - ashbyi partial breeding plumage on male, female.
ClICK for male in breeding plumage at American River, Kangaroo Isl, SE SA, 20241027. Vivonne Bay, Kangaroo Isl, SE SA IMG_3750 20241031 - ashbyi juvenile: brown tail; and male. CLICK for female (tail
greenish-brown) at Bales Bay, Kangaroo Isl, SE SA 20241030. 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 juvenile: brown tail; at Currie, King Island, Tas 20211218. 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