








Superb fairywrens are a tiny little bird that you will often see in or near very thick plant undergrowth where they shelter from bigger birds. They will come out onto grass to feed on insects and seeds then retreat into bushes for safety.
These birds are found across most of south-eastern Australia, in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.
The scientific name for the superb fairywren is Malurus cyaneus. They are one of 11 different species of fairywrens but are actually not a wren at all. They are more closely related to honeyeaters and pardolotes. Other spellings for fairywrens include 'fairy wrens' or 'fairy-wrens'.
The male superb fairywren has bright blue colouring on his head and tail only during the breeding season. He then loses his blue feathers in autumn and winter. Females, juveniles and males who are not breeding are a plain mid-brown colour. All fairywrens hold their tail up most of the time.
Superb fairywrens make a number of different calls but the most recognisable is a beautiful high-pitched tinkling sound.
Superb fairywrens are mostly insectivorous. This means they eat mostly insects but they also eat small amounts of seeds or fruits.
The birds usually feed by hopping around on grassy areas. They never stray far from thick bushes and undergrowth so they can quickly return to shelter when threatened.
Superb fairywrens have short sharp beaks, ideal for picking up and crushing insects.
The males only grow their bright blue feathers during the breeding season. The rest of the year all fairywrens are a mid-brown colour so they camouflage or hide in their environment.
Super fairywrens share parenting tasks with other adults as well as the parents looking after the young.
Superb fairywrens lay two to four eggs in a small dome-shaped nest made out of grass and spiderwebs. The chicks take about 14 days to hatch. They leave the nest in about 40 days. Unlike most birds the young superb fairywrens stay with their family for a year or two helping to raise other babies.
The predators of superb fairywrens include bigger carnivorous birds such as kookaburras, butcher birds, currawongs and ravens. Introduced species such as cats, foxes and rats are also a threat to eggs in the nest, baby birds and adults while they are feeding.
You can help protect fairywrens in your garden by planting thick shrubs for them to hide in.
There are many references to superb fairywrens in Aboriginal cultures around Australia.
The D’harawal people, whose traditional country is around Wollongong in NSW, have a dreaming story where the superb fairywren gets his blue colours from the berries of the Dianella plant. They call this bird murrudoo’win. The Eora and Durug peoples of the Sydney area also call the superb fairywren muruduwin.
On October 8th, 2021, the superb fairywren was voted 'bird of the year' in a competition run by the Guardian newspaper and Birdlife Australia. 40,000 Australians voted for their favourite bird. The Tawny Frogmouth came a close second.
Male superb fairywren displaying his blue breeding plumage - "Superb Fairywren - Victoria - Australia_S4E5208" byfveronesi1 CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
Female superb fairywren - "Superb Fairy-wren female (Malurus cyaneus)" by patrickkavanagh is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
Superb fairywrens make a beautiful high-pitched tinkling sound - "Superb Fairy Wren (Malurus cyaneus) (male) (10 centimetres)." by Geoff Whalan CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (cropped)
Superb fairywrens mainly eat insects - "Superb fairywren" by Stefan Marks CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (cropped)
Superb fairywrens have sharp little beaks perfect for picking up and crushing insects - "Superb fairywren" by f.rohart CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (cropped)
The female superb fairywren collects materials to make her nest - "Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus)" by David Cook Wildlife Photography CC BY-NC 2.0 (cropped)
Young superb fairywrens stay with their family for a year or two - "Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus)" bypatrickkavanagh CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
The superb fairywren won bird of the year 2021! - "Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus)" by patrickkavanagh CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
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Field of Mars Reserve
Pittwater Road
East Ryde NSW 2112
telephone 02 9816 1298
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