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Red-backed Fairy-wrenAlternate name(s): "Red-backed Wren", "Scarlet-backed Wren", "Black-headed Wren", "Orange-backed Wren" ![]() Size: 10-13 cm Weight: 5-10 g |
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Photos |
Race "melanocephalus"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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BREEDING |
Full-frontal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]
Near-frontal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]
Near-frontal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in post-breeding
moult (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Oxley Common, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]
Near-lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Paradise Dam, Burnett River, near Gayndah, QLD, April 2016]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
looking at the observer
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, February 2022]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, February 2022]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Fleming)
[Arakoon NP, near South West Rocks, NSW, January 2021]
Close-up lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Horseshoe Lagoon, Hodel Road, Burdekin, QLD, September 2020]
Near-dorsal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
[Bundjalung NP,
NSW, February 2012]
Near-dorsal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, February 2022]
Dorsal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Paradise Dam, Burnett River, near Gayndah, QLD, April 2016]
Dorsal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
[Bundjalung NP,
NSW, February 2012]
Male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage seen next to a
Red-browed Finch
(photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)
The same Red-backed Fairy-wren as above, now preening, next to a
Red-browed Finch
(photo courtesy of C. Kellenberg)
Frontal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren moulting into
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, July 2022]
Near-lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren moulting into
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, July 2022]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren moulting into
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, July 2022]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren moulting out of
breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
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NON-BREEDING |
Near-frontal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage; note
the dark upper mandible of the bill, which suggests that
this bird is probably not a female (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Postman's Track, Lake Samsonvale, QLD, November 2019]
Near-frontal view of a Red-backed Fairy-wren; the rather dark bill,
black edges on the wing coverts and black suffusion of the tail
feathers suggest that this may be a male in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, July 2022]
Lateral view of a Red-backed Fairy-wren; the rather dark bill,
black edges on the wing coverts and black suffusion of the tail
feathers suggest that this may be a male in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, July 2022]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Noosa, QLD, December 2017]
Near-dorsal view of a Red-backed Fairy-wren; the rather dark bill,
black edges on the wing coverts and black suffusion of the tail
feathers suggest that this may be a male in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, July 2022]
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FEMALE |
Near-frontal view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]
Lateral view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Oxley Common, Brisbane, QLD, August 2017]
Lateral view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Paradise Dam, Burnett River, near Gayndah, QLD, April 2016]
Lateral view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, October 2021]
Lateral view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren in tail moult
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, July 2022]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Frontal view of a sub-adult male Red-backed Fairy-wren that is
in the process of moulting into its first adult
plumage
(photo courtesy of E.
Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, December 2016]
Frontal view of a sub-adult male Red-backed Fairy-wren
moulting into its first adult
plumage
(photo courtesy of E.
Scott)
[Kilcoy, QLD, December 2016]
Dorsal view of a sub-adult male Red-backed Fairy-wren
moulting into its first adult
plumage
(photo courtesy of E.
Scott)
[Kilcoy, QLD, December 2016]
Race "cruentatus"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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BREEDING |
Near-frontal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, August 2023]
Near-lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Wyndham, WA, January 2016]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Timber Creek, NT, July 2020]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Tyto Wetlands, Ingham, QLD, August 2023]
Lateral view of two male Red-backed Fairy-wrens in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Timber Creek airport, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]
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NON-BREEDING |
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren moulting into
non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2017]
Near-dorsal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren moulting into
non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, August 2017]
Note that males in pure non-breeding plumage are very hard to distinguish from females.
Frontal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage; note
the dark upper mandible
[Holmes Jungle NP,
Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Near-frontal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston, NT, August 2018]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Timber Creek airport, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Timber Creek airport, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston, NT, August 2018]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
[Holmes Jungle NP,
Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage; note
the dark upper mandible of the bill and the rusty hue on the
wing indicating that this bird is not a female
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Policeman's Point, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
[Holmes Jungle NP,
Darwin, NT, in August 2014]
Near-dorsal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
[Holmes Jungle NP,
Darwin, NT, August 2014]
Near-dorsal view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston, NT, August 2018]
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FEMALE |
Note that females are very hard to distinguish from males in pure non-breeding plumage.
Close-up frontal view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]
Frontal view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Marrakai track, Top End, NT, August 2018]
Near-frontal view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren; note that
the bill is entirely orange, without any grey/black in it
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Wyndham, WA, January 2016]
Lateral view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, July 2019]
Lateral view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, July 2019]
Lateral/ventral view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, July 2019]
Lateral/ventral view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, July 2019]
Near-dorsal view of a female Red-backed Fairy-wren
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Leanyer Swamp, Darwin, NT, July 2019]
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PAIR |
Pair of Red-backed Fairy-wrens - male in breeding
plumage
and female
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2014]
Pair of Red-backed Fairy-wrens - male in breeding
plumage
and female
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Timber Creek airport, Timber Creek, NT, November 2018]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-lateral view of a juvenile male Red-backed Fairy-wren with
a dark bill - such sub-adult males are capable of breeding, despite
their juvenile plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, February 2018]
Lateral view of a juvenile male Red-backed Fairy-wren with
a dark bill (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, February 2018]
Lateral view of a juvenile male Red-backed Fairy-wren with
a dark bill, now with its tail cocked (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, February 2018]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Territorial | Mobility: Sedentary | Elementary unit: Family clan |
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Food, Diet |
Fairy-wrens feed on small animals, such as insects.
Near-frontal view of a Red-backed Fairy-wren with its prey,
a caterpillar
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, July 2022]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage with its
prey, a small beetle
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston, NT, August 2018]
Lateral view of a male Red-backed Fairy-wren in non-breeding
plumage with its
prey, a small beetle
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Palmerston, NT, August 2018]
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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.
rbfairy_art_20131202.m4a |
melanocephalus (SE QLD) |
Pair chattering | © ART | |
rbfairy_me_20211121.m4a |
melanocephalus (SE QLD) |
Warning/alarm calls | © ME | |
rbfairy_20150327.mp3 |
melanocephalus (NE NSW) |
Various (family clan) | © MD | |
rbfairy_pb_20210212.m4a |
cruentatus (Top End, NT) |
Alarm calls (2 females; + Bar-shouldered Dove) | © MD | |
rbfairy_20140817.m4a |
cruentatus (Top End, NT) |
Various (family clan) | © MD | |
rbfairy_20140817_2.m4a |
cruentatus (Top End, NT) |
Various (family clan) | © MD | |
rbfairy_20140820.m4a |
cruentatus (Darwin, NT) |
Various (family clan) | © MD |
More Red-backed Fairy-wren sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.