Red-backed Fairy-wren
Malurus melanocephalus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyMaluridae (Fairywrens and Allies)
- GenusMalurus (Typical Fairywrens)
- SpeciesMalurus melanocephalus (Red-backed Fairy-wren)
The red-backed fairywren (Malurus melanocephalus) is a species of passerine bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is endemic to Australia and can be found near rivers and coastal areas along the northern and eastern coastlines from the Kimberley in the northwest to the Hunter Region in New South Wales. The male adopts a striking breeding plumage, with a black head, upperparts and tail, and a brightly coloured red back and brown wings. The female has brownish upperparts and paler underparts. The male in eclipse plumage and the juvenile resemble the female. Some males remain in non-breeding plumage while breeding. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Red-backed Fairy-wren sighting in Springbrook National Park, based on 31 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Springbrook National Park
Variegated Fairywren
Malurus lamberti
Superb Fairywren
Malurus cyaneus
Lewin's Honeyeater
Meliphaga lewinii
Eastern Whipbird
Psophodes olivaceus
Eastern Yellow Robin
Eopsaltria australis
Pied Currawong
Strepera graculina
Brown Thornbill
Acanthiza pusilla
White-throated Treecreeper
Cormobates leucophaea
White-browed Scrubwren
Sericornis frontalis
Grey Fantail
Rhipidura albiscapa
Golden Whistler
Pachycephala pectoralis
Gray Shrikethrush
Colluricincla harmonica
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Nitmiluk National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Red-backed Fairy-wren in Springbrook National Park?
About 13% of wildlife watchers report a Red-backed Fairy-wren sighting in Springbrook National Park, based on 31 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Red-backed Fairy-wren in Springbrook National Park?
March has the highest sighting rate for Red-backed Fairy-wren in Springbrook National Park in our monthly data.