Photo: Graham Winterflood from Cairns, Australia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Purple-crowned Fairywren
Malurus coronatus
Purple-crowned Fairywren (Malurus coronatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Purple-crowned Fairywren (Malurus coronatus) is a member of the Maluridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 11.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Maluridae Australasian Wrens
- Genus Malurus
- Species coronatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Maluridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purple-crowned Fairywren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of rivers and riverside habitats, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Purple-crowned Fairywren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purple-crowned Fairywren (Malurus coronatus) belongs to the Maluridae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU nc Australia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11.1 g, with a wing length of about 5.4 cm and a tail of around 7.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 364,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purple-crowned Fairywren?
The Purple-crowned Fairywren is a very small bird that weighs around 11.1 g.
Where does the Purple-crowned Fairywren live?
The Purple-crowned Fairywren is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU nc Australia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Purple-crowned Fairywren belong to?
The Purple-crowned Fairywren (Malurus coronatus) belongs to the Maluridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Purple-crowned Fairywren eat?
The Purple-crowned Fairywren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Purple-crowned Fairywren migrate?
The Purple-crowned Fairywren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purple-crowned Fairywren endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Purple-crowned Fairywren make?
1 real field recording of the Purple-crowned Fairywren — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Purple-crowned Fairywren's range?
The Purple-crowned Fairywren has a mapped global range of about 364,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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