Red-winged Fairywren - Behaviour

Behaviour

Hopping, with both feet leaving the ground and landing simultaneously, is the usual form of locomotion, though birds may run while performing the 'Rodent Run Display' detailed below. Its balance is assisted by a proportionally large tail, which is usually held upright and rarely still. The short, rounded wings provide good initial lift and are useful for short flights, though not for extended jaunts.

The Red-winged Fairywren is a cooperative breeding species, with a pair or small group of birds maintaining and defending a territory year-round. These territories average around 0.4–2.4 hectares (1–6 acres) in optimal habitat of tall Karri forest, although are smaller and restricted to dense riverbank undergrowth in less favourable habitat. The area maintained is large enough to support the group in poor years or to accommodate new members after a good breeding season. Groups range from two to nine members in size with an average of four birds, the largest for any fairywren studied to date. This is thought to be due to a very high annual survival and occupancy of suitable territory. Though reproduction rates are low, young birds still have few vacancies available for them to disperse into. Pairs are socially monogamous, with relationships ending for the most part when one partner dies. The survivor in this case selects a new partner, often a helper bird in the group. Though not directly studied, paired Red-winged Fairywrens are likely to be sexually promiscuous, with each partner mating with other individuals. Female helpers are much more common in this species than the other species intensively studied, the Superb Fairywren (M. cyaneus). Over half the groups have two or more helpers, often female, which feed nestlings and reduce workload of breeding females. Helpers have been shown to improve reproductive success in this species by increasing the numbers of young raised successfully per year from 1.3 to 2 birds. There is some evidence that groups with male helpers may enlarge the territory boundaries with a subsequent 'budding-off' of a new territory by a helper.

Major nest predators include Australian Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen), butcherbirds (Cracticus spp.), Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae), currawongs (Strepera spp.), crows and ravens (Corvus spp.), shrike-thrushes (Colluricincla spp.) as well as introduced mammals such as the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), cat and Black Rat (Rattus rattus). Like other species of fairy wrens, Red-winged Fairywrens may use a 'Rodent-run' display to distract predators from nests with young birds. While doing this, the head, neck and tail of the bird are lowered, the wings are held out and the feathers are fluffed as the bird runs rapidly and voices a continuous alarm call.

Observed in this species, the 'Wing-fluttering' display is seen in several situations: females responding, and presumably acquiescing, to male courtship displays, juveniles while begging for food, by helpers to older birds, and immature males to senior ones. The fairywren lowers its head and tail, outstretches and quivers its wings and holds its beak open silently.