Basic Information
| Superb Fairy-Wren (Malurus cyaeneus) | |
|---|---|
| Description | Male: lower half of body white; upper half black with light blue patches on top of the head, beneath the eyes and around the neck. Chest black with a blue-black patch. Female and young birds: light brown bodies. |
| Dimensions | Body up to 15 cm long. |
| Biology | Superb Fairy-wrens form family groups that co-operate to raise young in a single nest. They mainly eat insects, but also some seeds and fruit, and forage in groups. |
| Habitat | Areas with thick undergrowth. |
| Native status | Native to Australia |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Distribution | South-eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania. |
Atlas of Living Australia entry
Habitat requirements1
- Dense vegetation cover including low shrubs
- Safe spaces for foraging on the ground
- Habitat connected by corridors
Research has found them to be absent in urban environments with few shrubs in total or in sites dominated by exotic shrub species.1
Design requirements1
- Mid-storey shrubs and ground cover (<200cm high)
- Connections with Westgate Park, along roads
- Place habitat to facilitate human encounters
Fishermans Bend Urban Ecology Strategy Biodiversity Report (2019) pg. 42