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Purple-backed Fairy-wrenAlternate name(s): "Purple-backed Wren" ![]() Collectively, the three species White-winged Fairy-wren, Splendid Fairy-wren and Purple-backed Fairy-wren, are called "miril-yiril-yiri" along the northern edge of the Nullarbor Size: 13-14 cm Weight: 6-11 g |
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Similar |
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See Purple-backed
Fairy-wren at Wikipedia ![]() |
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Photos |
Race "assimilis"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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BREEDING |
Full-frontal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Parachilna Gorge, SA, November 2018]
Two male Purple-backed Fairy-wrens conveniently aligned such that
one is seen from the front, the other sideways
[Mt. Kaputar NP,
NSW, September 2008]
Near-frontal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, November 2017]
Near-frontal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, September 2017]
Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Narrabri, NSW, October 2020]
Lateral view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, December 2020]
Lateral view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, December 2020]
Lateral view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Parachilna Gorge, SA, November 2018]
Lateral view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
together with two females
[Narrabri, NSW, November 2010]
Lateral view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Parachilna Gorge, SA, November 2018]
Lateral view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage,
different posture (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, August 2017]
Lateral view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage;
note the purplish blue colour of its crown, which
identifies the bird as a specimen of race "assimilis"
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, November 2017]
Lateral view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Whyalla CP, SA, October 2022]
Direct comparison of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren, right, and a male
Blue-breasted Fairy-wren,
both in breeding plumage;
note how the bib of the male Purple-backed Fairy-wren is all-black,
whereas that of the male
Blue-breasted Fairy-wren
is deep-blue, with a black lower margin
(photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Gilles CP and Whyalla CP, SA, October 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Narrabri, NSW, September 2020]
Dorsal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, October 2013]
Lateral view of a moulting male Purple-backed Fairy-wren
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, August 2017]
This male Purple-backed Fairy-wren, which was observed by us hunting for
insects in dense scrub,
is moulting out of its breeding plumage
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2011]
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NON-BREEDING |
Frontal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren starting to moult into
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Parachilna Gorge, SA, November 2018]
Frontal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren starting to moult into
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Parachilna Gorge, SA, November 2018]
Frontal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
[The Drip Gorge,
Goulburn NP, NSW, April 2016]
Frontal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
[The Drip Gorge,
Goulburn NP, NSW, April 2016]
Lateral view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage, with
just a few dark feathers remaining on the head
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Narrabri, NSW, October 2020]
Near-dorsal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
[The Drip Gorge,
Goulburn NP, NSW, April 2016]
Dorsal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
[The Drip Gorge,
Goulburn NP, NSW, April 2016]
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FEMALE |
Frontal view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Whyalla CP, SA, October 2022]
Frontal view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2011]
Near-frontal view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Parachilna Gorge, SA, November 2018]
Near-frontal view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Parachilna Gorge, SA, November 2018]
Near-frontal view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren
[Gundabooka NP,
NSW, September 2012]
Near-frontal view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren, different posture
[Gundabooka NP,
NSW, September 2012]
Near-lateral view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2011]
Lateral view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Whyalla CP, SA, October 2022]
Direct comparison of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren, right, and a female
Blue-breasted Fairy-wren;
since female Purple-backed Fairy-wrens have a lighter bill, there is more
colour contrast with the lores than in female
Blue-breasted Fairy-wrens
(photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Lake Gilles CP and Whyalla CP, SA, October 2022]
Lateral view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, November 2017]
Lateral view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2011]
Lateral view of a female Purple-backed Fairy-wren looking for prey
in an eucalypt tree
[Pilliga, NSW, December 2013]
The same female Purple-backed Fairy-wren as above, now seen more from
behind; note the brown tint at the base of the wings
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, April 2011]
Female Purple-backed Fairy-wren taking a bath
[Deriah Aboriginal Area, NSW, February 2009]
Two views of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding plumage, with the white
lining of its tail feathers prominently visible
[Pilliga scrub,
NSW, July 2011]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Lateral view of a fledgling Purple-backed Fairy-wren
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, November 2017]
Dorsal view of a fledgling Purple-backed Fairy-wren
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, November 2017]
Three fledgling Purple-backed Fairy-wren chicks hiding low in a
Wilga tree
[Gundabooka NP,
NSW, September 2012]
Race "dulcis"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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BREEDING |
Near-dorsal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Barkly Highway, NT, September 2021]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Jul - Jan | Eggs: 3 - 4 | Incubation period: 14 - 16 days | Fledging age: 10 - 12 days |
Purple-backed Fairy-wrens have a particularly short fledging period for their chicks, compared to the incubation period. This leads to the effect shown below.
Frontal view of a Purple-backed Fairy-wren fledgling - it and its siblings
could hardly fly; from the front "the job looks almost complete"
[Gundabooka NP,
NSW, September 2012]
Dorsal view of a Purple-backed Fairy-wren fledgling; from behind the
story is quite different - in 10-12 days there is just not enough
time to grow long tail feathers...
[Gundabooka NP,
NSW, September 2012]
Nest building: ? | Incubation: Female | Dependent care: Family clan |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Dome | Material: Bark fibres, grass stems, webs | Height above ground: 0.1 - 0.4 m |
Female Purple-backed Fairy-wren "harvesting" spider webs
for binding its nest
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Narrabri, NSW, August 2021]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 17 x 13 mm | Colour: Creamy, with light-brown speckles | Shape: Tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Family clan |
Although territorial, we have seen Purple-backed Fairy-wrens share their territories with Superb Fairy-wrens, even during the breeding season.
Like other Fairy-wrens, male Purple-backed Fairy-wrens have distinctly different breeding and eclipse plumages.
The plumage
of this male Purple-backed Fairy-wren shows clear signs of wear
late in spring, e.g. on the cap, where the blue sheen has
been lost (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, November 2016]
Near-frontal view of a male Purple-backed Fairy-wren just out
of the bathtub (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, November 2016]
Apart from undergrowth in
woodland,
Purple-backed Fairy-wrens can often be found in dense vegetation along
rivers and
lakes
[Burren Junction Bore Bath, NSW, May 2020]
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Food, Diet |
Fairy-wrens feed on small animals, such as insects.
Dad Purple-backed Fairy-wren bringing food for his chicks
[Gundabooka NP,
NSW, September 2012]
The plumage
Male Purple-backed Fairy-wren going for a drink or a bath
(photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, November 2016]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
pubwren_20141023.mp3 |
assimilis (NW NSW) |
Contact calls(?) | © MD | |
pubwren_20140212.mp3 |
assimilis (NW NSW) |
Territorial call(?) | © MD | |
pubwren_20140127.mp3 |
assimilis (NW NSW) |
Warning call (female) | © MD | |
pubwren_20151010.mp3 |
assimilis (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls (clan; near nest?) | © MD | |
pubwren_20151010_2.mp3 |
assimilis (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls (clan; near nest?) | © MD | |
pubwren_20200114_2.m4a |
assimilis (NW NSW) |
Various (clan) | © MD | |
pubwren_me_20221025.mp3 |
assimilis (NW NSW) |
Various (clan) | © ME | |
pubwren_20200114.m4a |
assimilis (NW NSW) |
Curious/investigating | © MD | |
pubwren_20200114_3.m4a |
assimilis (NW NSW) |
Curious/investigating | © MD | |
pubwren_20140218.mp3 |
assimilis (NW NSW) |
Curious/investigating | © MD |
More Purple-backed Fairy-wren sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.