Small bird in forest, woodland and shrub land habitats throughout most of Australia. Male is brightly colored, black head with bright blue sides and crown and dark chesnut sholder patches. Females and juveniles are brownish grey. Feeds on small insects and seeds around the base of small shrubs.The scientific name commemorates the British collector Aylmer Bourke Lambert.
Juvenile. Photo: Derek Boddington
Adult Male
This photograph was take in Mt Coot-tha Forest Park in the vicinity of the Quail Trail, where both Variegated and Red-Backed Fairy-wrens are quite common, though often hard to see in the thick scrub. They forage mostly at ground level or in the low branches. Lantana provides habitat, but they are more abundant in non-weedy habitats along the creeklines.
