Family Maluridae: Species - 23 worldwide (approximately), 21 Australia

Members of the Maluridae family tend to be seen in family groups, with breeding males being brightly colours. Juveniles and female birds are brown. Fairywrens feed on insects and are distributed across a broad range of locations across Australia.

White Winged Fairywren (Malurus leucopterus): Male colouring can range from velvety black to a brilliant Cobalt blue with white wing patched when breeding. Females and non breeding males show pale buff on the underside with grey /brown back and wings and the tail being slightly blue.

Variegated Fairywren (Malurus Lamberti): Male very colourful when breeding with blue crown, black front, chest and neck. Sides of chest are dark blue, wings brown and shoulders chestnut with black rump. The tail is long, blue with white tips. Underparts are pale brown / grey. The female has brown head, back and wings with buff underparts and a long slightly blue tail.

Superb Fairywren (Malurus Cyaneus): Male has a bright blue cap, cheek, back and tail with a black mask and throat, brown wings with the breast and belly grey-white. Females are grey-brown with paler under-parts and reddish brown around the eyes.

Red Backed Fairywren (Malurus Melanocephalus): Male has red/orange back and rump, with long tapered square-tipped tail. Female is similar to variegated Fairywren, in that she has a brown head, back and wings, with buff underparts and a brown tail.