WILD ABOUT NOOSA HINTERLAND I confess that I have a soft spot for Fairywrens. After all, what’s not to like about these sociable, dinky little birds? The Variegated Fairy-wren males are currently sporting their very best summer breeding plumage, handsome in their finery. The females, bless their tiny beating hearts, remain a dull grey-brown all year round. Fairy-wrens congregate in small parties, dominated by a breeding pair. For a very long time, it was assumed that the breeding pair in each small flock was monogamous. But more recent research has revealed that Fairy-wrens are decidedly promiscuous, frequently engaging in hanky-panky with the neighbours. Thus the chicks that each flock help to rear may have been sired by a number of different males. Variegated Fairy-wrens are incredibly adaptable, being found in a wide range of habitats. They feed on insects and seeds amongst shrubby undergrowth. The nest is usually hidden in dense foliage about a metre off the ground. If a predator takes an interest in the nest, the adults may try and distract the intruder by running about with wings held out whilst calling madly. That’s parental devotion Fairy-wren style.
with Tony Wellington
Fairy-wrenScarlett Honeyeater
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November 2021 Your Local Lifestyle | Page 13
