Red-winged Fairywren - Distribution and Habitat

Distribution and Habitat

The Red-winged Fairywren occurs in the wetter, southwest corner of Western Australia, from Moore River north of Perth south through to the Margaret River region and east to Albany. It is common in parts of its range, though there is some evidence of decline from draining of swampland. It lives in the understorey of Karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor) and Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata). Older forests appear to be less favourable habitats, while birds appear to be attracted to disturbed areas after logging. Fire also results in populations disappearing, returning after a period of two years. Forestry plantations of pine (Pinus spp.) and eucalypts are generally unsuitable as they lack undergrowth.

Within the forest habitat, the Red-winged Fairywren prefers wetter gullies and riverside Sword Sedge (Lepidosperma effusum). It borders the range of the Variegated Fairywren on the northern limit of its range, and the Blue-breasted Fairywren in the eastern limit, with the latter two species occupying dryer scrub while the Red-winged Fairywren is restricted to wetter forests. The lack of intermediate forms reinforces the status of all three taxa as separate species.

Sites identified by BirdLife International as being important for Red-winged Fairywren conservation are Araluen-Wungong, Jalbarragup, Mundaring-Kalamunda, North Dandalup, the Stirling Range, Two Peoples Bay and Mount Manypeaks.