Superb Fairy-wren breeding plumage

10 posts / 0 new
Last post
content_import
content_import's picture
Superb Fairy-wren breeding plumage

Not sure of which forum to put this in!

I understand that the Superb Fairy-wren male moults into a non-breeding plumage in winter. I did read that older males may moult out of breeding plumage later than younger males.

We have a group of wrens that live on our property and there seemed to be no males in breeding plumage for the past few weeks at least, if not longer. The other day I noticed a male in breeding plumage. Is it too early for him to have just got his breeding plumage, or would it be more likely he hasnt moulted OUT of his breeding plumage and i somehow didn't notice his existance for for several weeks?

What time of year do they normally change?

soakes
soakes's picture

It is my understanding that once they are mature (or perhaps very mature :) they no longer lose their colours over Winter.

Like you, I have seen a lot of wrens lately but very few with their blueness

- soakes

soakes
Olinda, Victoria, Australia

Anonymous

thanks for that!
hmmm guess no-one has has noticed what time they might go into the plumage
maybe this wren has always had it and i somehow didnt notice him (seems unlikely since i see their group almost every day outside my house)

marj
marj's picture

Superb Fairy-wrens moult into their breeding plumage each breeding season. Out of the breeding season the male moves into an eclipse plumage, which is similar to female plumage but still shows a bluish tail and lacks the russet lores and eye-ring of the female. Some males retain their blue colour all year round, but that is an exception rather than the rule.

They are interesting birds in that while they form long-lasting pairs, they are promiscious.

Female Superb Fairy-wrens have demonstrated that they favour males with the brightest colours, and which moult and convert to their bright blue plumage early in the winter. It appears that males moulting late in the winter or into early spring are not in the race to entice the breeding females.

Cheryl
Cheryl's picture

The Superb Fairy Wrens here have just gone into breeding colours. I noticed one at the museum today, last week they were their rather drab colour.

Anonymous

Thanks that's interesting to know.
What part of Australia are you in?
I am still not 100% sure if my wren stayed in plumage all year or something, but he's definitely still in colours so I guess he's going to keep it from now on that's for sure.

I also noticed another thing just the past week or so, that is fights among some of the wrens. I'd never seen them fighting before that. Not sure whether they were male or female (but it didn't involve the male in breeding plumage)

Cheryl
Cheryl's picture

I live in the Great Southern of WA.
I doubt your wren would have been in colour all year, but I suppose it could have if you had a very mild summer. Gardening "experts" say that plants are being affected by climate change, don't see why it couldn't also happen with birds. It may be an interesting exercise to keep an eye on it this coming summer to see if they do retain their colours.
Perhaps with breeding season coming up the females are squabbling among themselves for the best nesting spots...or something.

Anonymous

Ah, I lived in Albany WA for a little while myself.
I think we are a bit colder here so not sure what timetable our wrens are on. I guess he could have just come into breeding plumage in early May? I will continue to monitor over the coming years, as I have only moved here recently.
We did seem to have a very mild summer though as it happens (although it's only the third summer I've experienced in Tassie).
I'll also keep an eye on their squabbles!
Thanks for your insights.

Anonymous

I saw them fighting again, and it was two males. They were not in breeding plumage but their blue tails were visible.
The male in full blue plumage was hanging around but I couldn't tell if he was actively involved in the fighting.

Cheryl
Cheryl's picture

I haven't seen them fighting at all. I wonder what they fight about.

 and   @birdsinbackyards
                 Subscribe to me on YouTube