I took these photos near Narooma NSW & at first I assumed they were Superb but then when I notice the blue of the tail doesn't start at the base of the tail I was wondering if this would be a splendid fairy wren. Help please.
thank you
Donna
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I don't think Splendid Fairy Wrens are found at any point on the east coast. But I'm not sure what to make of your photo; male Superb Fairy Wrens don't have a bill that colour, and the females' have a brown(ish) tail.
It really does look like a splendid to me but its pretty far from the range of them.
Female Variegated. Lorne
I thought Variegated, but then it's tail is really dark, and it doesn't seem to have particularly dark lores.
Thanks everyone. Lachlan I also thought variegated but there are no lores and the tail is a definite blue that ends before the end of the tail.
Regards
Donna
I say Variegated due to colur of beak and pale rufous around lores as well as where you saw it... the striking cobalt-blue of the tail is most odd... my other thought was eclipse male Superb Fairy-wren, but that bird has dark bill and grey cap etc... Lorne
Have you got any photos showing more of the wing, Donna?
It looks like a Splendid FW
There is always the possibility that the species has spread out in the last decade or so, since they were mapped out.
Hi Lachlan, sorry these are the only 2 photos that I have. Donna
If you check out the odd image of a female Variegated FW online you'll see a similarity to the bird here. It's highly, highly unlikely that a Splendid Fairy-wren, found way west of the Great Dividing Range, would be in Narooma, especially wqhen the birds have little territories. Saying that, I'm more than happy to be proven wrong. Donna, you need to get back to the spot and wait for a male to turn up. All our questions will then be solved! Lorne
Here is a photo of the female Lorne.
Female Variegated! Lorne
Thank you Lorne.
regards
Donna
Pleasure. Have a good weekend, Lorne.
Looks like a regular young male superb to me. If it was a variegated, I would expect the lores to be much darker.
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