Photo: James Niland from Brisbane, Australia / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Variegated Fairywren
Malurus lamberti
Variegated Fairywren (Malurus lamberti) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Variegated Fairywren (Malurus lamberti) is a member of the Maluridae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 8 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 lamberti
Quick facts
- Weight
- 8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Maluridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Variegated Fairywren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Variegated Fairywren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Variegated Fairywren (Malurus lamberti) is a member of the Maluridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU se QLD to se NSW (se Australia).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 8 g, with a wing length of about 4.8 cm and a tail of around 7.6 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 213,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Variegated Fairywren?
The Variegated Fairywren is a very small bird that weighs around 8 g.
Where does the Variegated Fairywren live?
The Variegated Fairywren is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU se QLD to se NSW (se Australia), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Variegated Fairywren belong to?
The Variegated Fairywren (Malurus lamberti) belongs to the Maluridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Variegated Fairywren eat?
The Variegated Fairywren is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Variegated Fairywren migrate?
The Variegated Fairywren is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Variegated 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 Variegated Fairywren make?
1 real field recording of the Variegated 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 Variegated Fairywren's range?
The Variegated Fairywren has a mapped global range of about 213,000 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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Guides for this bird
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