White-winged Fairy-wren Malurus leucopterus
Male White-winged Fairy-wren, Port Augusta, South Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image Port Augusta, South Australia
March 2006

The White-winged Fairy-wren is distributed in coastal west Australia and through inland Australia but is missing from northern, eastern and south-eastern Australia. It is found in arid habitats with scrub and grasses.

Male White-winged Fairy-wren, Port Augusta, South Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image There are 3 sub-species of which two are confined to islands off Western Australia: the nominate sub-species on Dirk Hartog Island; and M. l. edouardi on Barrow Island. In these two sub-species the males are black with white wings. The sub-species found on mainland Australia, M. l. leuconotus, shown in these photos, is mid to deep cobalt blue with white wings.
Male White-winged Fairy-wren, Port Augusta, South Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image The males in photos 1 to 3 are moving out of breeding plumage while the male in photo 4 is almost fully in eclipse plumage.

Photo 5 shows a female.

Male White-winged Fairy-wren, Port Augusta, South Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image
Female White-winged Fairy-wren, Port Augusta, South Australia, March 2006 - click for larger image
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