Purple-crowned Fairy-wren (western)  |  

Malurus coronatus coronatus

Status: Endangered on the EPBC Act list

The purple-crowned fairy-wren (western) is a small bird measuring approximately 14 cm in
length, with a wing-span of approximately 16 cm and weighing 9−13 g. Adult males in breeding
plumage are mainly brown above and buff-white below, with a blue tail and a cap (i.e. forehead,
crown and nape) that is purple except for a black spot on the crown and a black ‘mask’ that
extends to form a collar around the nape. Adult males in non-breeding plumage differ by having
a mainly brown cap, a brownish to blackish mask, and an off-white to pale grey orbital ring.

Government evidence of impact of climate change:

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  • Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Malurus coronatus coronatus

    Climate change; projected to result in an increased frequency of extreme events such as flooding; also threatens the subspecies.
    Interactions between climate change and habitat degradation are also likely; with the negative impacts of floods likely to be worse for populations living in degraded habitat (Hall; pers comm. 2015).
    Both these populations occur along short stretches of river (9 km and 3 km respectively) which puts them at high risk of local extirpation following single fire or flooding events (Pimm et al.; 1988).
    Increased flood energy due to rangeland degradation has destroyed some areas of riparian vegetation and thus likely impacted on breeding success (Garnett et al.; 2011 DLRM; 2012).

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