The superb fairywren is a passerine bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae, and is common and familiar across south-eastern Australia. It is a sedentary and territorial species, also exhibiting a high degree of sexual dimorphism; the male in breeding plumage has a striking bright blue forehead, ear coverts, mantle, and tail, with a black mask and black or dark blue throat. Non-breeding males, females and juveniles are predominantly grey-brown in colour; this gave the early impression that males were polygamous, as all dull-coloured birds were taken for females. Six subspecies groups are recognized: three larger and darker forms from Tasmania, Flinders and King Island respectively, and three smaller and paler forms from mainland Australia and Kangaroo Island. Source: Wikipedia
Citation:
(Ellis, 1782)
Reference:
Gen.Syn.Birds p.501
Protonym:
Motacilla cyanea
Avibase ID:
DAC72D0793DE01AD
Avibase ID:
avibase-DAC72D07
Short link:
https://avibase.ca/DAC72D07
Taxonomic Serial Number:
TSN: 560972
Geographic range:
Authorities recognizing this taxonomic concept:
Avibase taxonomic concepts (current): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 01 (August 2013): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 02 (May 2014): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 03 (March 2015): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 04 (Aug 2016): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 05 (Jan 2017): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 06 (Feb 2018): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 07 (Feb 2020): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Avibase taxonomic concepts v. 08 (Feb 2021): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 00: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 01: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 02: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 03: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 04: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 05 (Jun 2012): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 05.1 (Oct 2012): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 06 (Nov 2013): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 06.1 (Feb 2014): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 07 (Jul 2014): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 08 (Oct 2015): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 09 (Dec 2016): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Birdlife checklist version 09.1 (Jun 2017): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v2 (Dec 2017): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v3 (Nov 2018): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v4 (Dec 2019): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v5 (Dec 2020): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
HBW and BirdLife Taxonomic Checklist v6 (Dec 2021): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Christidis and Boles (2008): Systematics and Taxonomy of Australian Birds: Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993, révision 2009): Mérion superbe ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Commission internationale pour les noms français des oiseaux (1993): Mérion superbe ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 1st edition: Blue Wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2021: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 3rd edition: Blue Wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 4th edition: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (as published): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2000 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2001 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2002 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2003 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2004 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 5th edition (incl. 2005 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2007 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2008 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (incl. 2009 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.5 incl. 2010 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.6 incl. 2011 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.7 incl. 2012 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.8 incl. 2013 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements 6th edition (version 6.9 incl. 2014 revisions): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2015: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2016: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2017: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2018: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Clements, version 2019: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.50: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.52: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.53: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.54: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 1.55: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 2015: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 2016: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 2017: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 2018: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 2019: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
eBird version 2021: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 2nd edition: Blue Wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 2nd edition (incl. ? suppl): Blue Wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (as published): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 1.2): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 2.1): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 3.1): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 4): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 5): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 6): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 7): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 3rd edition (incl. corrigenda 8): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 4th edition (vol. 1-2): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World (vol 1-16): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (31/01/2015): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (03/07/2017): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2017): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Handbook of the Birds of the World and Birdlife (Dec 2018): Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.0: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.5: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.6: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 1.7: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.0: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.2: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.3: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.4: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.5: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.6: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.7: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.8: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.9: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.10: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 2.11: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.2: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.3: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.4: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 3.5: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.2: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.3: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 4.4: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.2: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.3: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 5.4: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.2: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.3: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 6.4: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.2: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 7.3: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 8.2: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 9.2: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 10.2: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 11.2: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
IOC World Bird Names, version 12.1: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Morony, Bock and Farrand: Superb Fairy-wren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Peters' Check-list of the Birds: Malurus cyaneus [version 1] |
Peters' Check-list of the Birds (original): Malurus cyaneus [version 1] |
Peters' Check-list of the Birds (2nd edition): Malurus cyaneus [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe (1993): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe (1993, including corrections up to 1998): Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Sibley and Monroe, Birds of the World Version 2.0: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Working Group Avian Checklists, version 0.01: Superb Fairywren ( Malurus cyaneus) [version 1] |
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Malurus cyaneus [version 1] |
Zoonomen - Zoological Nomenclature Resource: Malurus cyaneus [version 1] |
Taxonomic status:
Species status: full species
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