White-Winged Fairywren

Male White-Winged Fairywren. While photographing birds in north-western Victoria, I came across a group of White-Winged Fairywrens moving busily between low shrubs. This tiny bird briefly perched on a nearby bush, allowing me to capture this photo, before quickly moving away, staying close to the rest of the group as they foraged for food. The male pictured above stood out with his striking blue breeding plumage and contrasting white wings.

Physical Appearance

The White-Winged Fairywren is a tiny bird, similar in size to the more commonly seen Superb Fairywren. Breeding males are particularly striking, with rich blue plumage and prominent white patches on their wings. Females and non-breeding males are much more subdued, with grey-brown plumage and a blue-grey tail.
Interestingly, male White-Winged Fairywrens can take up to four years to develop their full breeding plumage. Young males may therefore look quite similar to females for several years before acquiring their striking blue colouring.

Habitat

White-Winged Fairywrens are found across much of mainland Australia, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. They inhabit low shrublands, grasslands and other areas with suitable dense vegetation, including floodplains and wetlands.

Behaviour

Social birds: White-Winged Fairywrens are highly social and live in small groups. Several breeding groups can share a larger territory, with birds helping to raise young. Interestingly, males from outside the social group may also father some of the young.
Foraging: These active little birds spend much of their time searching for food among low shrubs and on the ground. Their diet consists mainly of insects, including beetles and other small invertebrates.

Breeding

Cooperative breeding: Mainland White-Winged Fairywrens are cooperative breeders. A breeding pair may be assisted by one or more helpers, while several breeding groups can occur within the territory of a fully plumaged male.
Nesting: The female builds a small nest low in dense vegetation, where she lays her eggs. The young are cared for by the breeding pair with assistance from other members of the group.