Tricky Fairy-wrens, WA, Australia (1 Viewer)

[Wiganlad]

Various stills from video, mid February in Jarrahdale, eastish of Perth, WA. The first 3 pics are probably 3 different birds and the bird in pics 4 and 5 was with the third bird. Any thoughts gratefully received.

 

[delia todd]

The first one I'm going to say immature male Splendid Fairywren. Two and three could be the same?

Struggling with the last two.... females? LOL

 

[Richard Dale]

All Splendid. The first three are moulting males - no other species would show blue feathers coming through on the flanks. Female Splendid has a red bill and lores, as on the birds in 4 and 5 (and unlike the black bill of female/immature Red-winged), and there's no reason to start delving into the possibility of Purple-backed or Blue-breasted (neither of which, from memory, are particularly likely in Jarrahdale) if it was associating with a male Splendid. These are the common 'garden' fairywren of WA, much more likely to be found energetically hopping about around garden hoses than the other species.

 

[Wiganlad]

The first one I'm going to say immature male Splendid Fairywren. Two and three could be the same?

Struggling with the last two.... females? LOL

Thanks Delia. I think 4 and 5 are the females with No. 3. I wondered if, rather than immature, they are perhaps in moult, which is what makes them so hard for me.

 

[Wiganlad]

All Splendid. The first three are moulting males - no other species would show blue feathers coming through on the flanks. Female Splendid has a red bill and lores, as on the birds in 4 and 5 (and unlike the black bill of female/immature Red-winged), and there's no reason to start delving into the possibility of Purple-backed or Blue-breasted (neither of which, from memory, are particularly likely in Jarrahdale) if it was associating with a male Splendid. These are the common 'garden' fairywren of WA, much more likely to be found energetically hopping about around garden hoses than the other species.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge Richard.

 

[delia todd]

I bow to the more knowledgeable, didn't think about moulting.

I should've left my answer at Splendid and I'd not have been wrong LOL