Sunday, March 28, 2010

Red-backed Fairy-Wren

It's always a thrill when a tiny bird comes close and watches me as closely as I am watching it. This little Red-backed Fairy-Wren popped up out of the grass in front of me when I was walking down the bush track at Inskip Point the other day. Then it flew up onto a twig close by and looked at me, and sang and even preened before it flew off. This is a tiny bird - only 12-13cm. This is either a female or a young male but my bird books only say that they are very similar so I can't be sure which. I will re-post a photo of a male that I posted last April to show the difference in the coloring.For more bird photos go to Bird Photography Weekly.
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15 comments:

  1. Müge TekilMarch 28, 2010 at 4:40 PM

    The colour difference between male and female is amazing! I think the Red-backed Fairy-Wren is one of the most striking examples of the dimorphism in birds!

    Have a delightful Sunday! :-)

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  2. NeilMarch 28, 2010 at 4:41 PM

    Great photos those legs look so fine for such a large body.

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  3. LarryMarch 28, 2010 at 5:02 PM

    Wow Mick, super close ups of this little bird! I love that second shot of her singing. Those whiskers are really something!

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  4. mickMarch 28, 2010 at 5:10 PM

    Hi Muge Tekil, they are certainly very different. I must go and look up the time difference between our two countries. Sunday is almost over for us out here!

    Thanks Neil. They almost look fragile don't they.

    Hi Larry, I've never been this close to these birds before so didn't even know they had those whiskers!

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  5. UnknownMarch 28, 2010 at 5:15 PM

    That's way cool. I love it too when they do 'humanwatching' :)
    The male is totally gorgeous in those bright colours!

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  6. mickMarch 28, 2010 at 5:59 PM

    Hi Nicole, I like your word for it - "humanwatching"! I frequently wonder how slow the birds think we are when we can't see them among the leaves.

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  7. MosuraMarch 28, 2010 at 10:23 PM

    A bird I'd love to see. You got some good poses.

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  8. AnonymousMarch 28, 2010 at 11:38 PM

    The female is adorable and cute - such personality comes across in her photos. But the color difference between genders - wow. It reminds me a bit of female and male red-winged blackbirds.

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  9. mickMarch 29, 2010 at 5:22 AM

    Thanks Mosura and Wren. I'd like to see both Blackbirds, Wren. It's interesting when the birds are so different.

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  10. Lana GramlichMarch 29, 2010 at 2:46 PM

    They're lovely & you got great shots. :)

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  11. mickMarch 29, 2010 at 6:40 PM

    Thanks Lana

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  12. KellyMarch 29, 2010 at 9:41 PM

    Ack! I love this little bird, and I love his name. I think it's the cutest name of all the birds... Great photos. Must have been wonderful to have her fly up so closely and pose for the camera almost!

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  13. mickMarch 30, 2010 at 5:59 AM

    Thanks Kelly

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  14. Midmarsh JohnMarch 30, 2010 at 7:33 PM

    Lovely photos of a charming little bird.

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  15. mickMarch 30, 2010 at 8:20 PM

    Thanks John. With the shorebirds departing on their northern migration I am going to be looking for more little bush birds over the next few months.

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