Nature Page

REGULAR FEATURES

Variegated Fairy-wrens Variegated are common on Bribie Island. A likely place to see them is in forest undergrowth where I have been observing a party Fairy Wren of about 4-6 birds for several months. I took several shots of females, juveniles and males in various stages of moulting but the magnificent male in full MALURUS LAMBERTI breeding plumage continued to elude me until one day after nearly 3 months he came out By: Marj Webber of the bushes and posed nicely on an open branch for me. I was able to take a few shots before he flew off. Variegated Fairy-wrens are tiny birds 11-14 cm in length and weighing just 6-11 g. Males, when in breeding plumage are vividly coloured in a coat of black, blue, bright chestnut, brown, with fawn and white underneath. Females are little brown birds with red eyes and blue tails. Juveniles are similar to females. Tails consisting of 10 feathers are long and cocked to help with balance. After each breeding season males moult fully to a brown plumage like the females and moult again to breeding plumage before the next season. Feather patterns vary during this time. Sometimes old males do not moult and remain in breeding plumage for the year. They are timid, less vocal than other wrens and mostly remain in the undergrowth and seem to sense any presence in the close vicinity. The most wide-spread wrens in Australia, Variegated Fairywrens are found in most parts except in the far north of Cape York and small areas in the south of WA, SA and Victoria. The undergrowth in open forests, wallum heathland and areas of tall grass are places where they are most likely to be seen. They sometimes visit parks and gardens if there is sufficient coverage. Usually, they are in groups of up to eight which have a dominant male and female with the rest of the group being young birds. I have occasionally seen them mixing with the Red-backed Fairy-wrens which also reside on Bribie Island. Feeding takes place on the ground usually in thick

underbrush where their main diet is insects and sometimes a few seeds. At times they find food under bark or in the foliage of small shrubs. Breeding usually takes place between July and February but given the right conditions, they can nest at any time of the year. Males perform a mating ritual by picking a yellow flower and presenting it to the female. Nests are untidy, low, oval-shaped domes in the undergrowth and are made of grass and twigs, with cobwebs binding them together. Nests are built by females and three to four splotched white eggs are laid. Females incubate the eggs for 14-16 days. When the chicks are hatched, they are helped with the nurturing by other members of the group. Young birds fly at 10-12 days and will be fed for about a month by the group. The Fairy-wrens nest in pairs but are quite promiscuous with both birds mating with several others, so many of the young are not sired by the seeming fathers. If conditions are right two or three broods may be produced in the one season. Most young males will moult into breeding plumage for the next season while others remain for another year before moving on. Variegated Fairywrens often are the host parents to parasitic Horsfield’s Cuckoos who lay their eggs in the nest then disappear knowing that the wrens will look after their young. Australia has 9 species of Fairywrens two of which are found on Bribie Island. Threats from nest predators are numerous with magpies, currawongs, shrike thrushes, butcherbirds, crows, feral cats and reptiles being some of the offenders. When threatened the parents lower their heads, spread their wings, fluff up their feathers and run towards the perpetrator calling continuously. Forest clearing and clearing of the undergrowth will cause the wrens to move on to hopefully find other suitable habitats which are disappearing all the time. Conservation is still secure in all states. They are not present in Tasmania.