Superb Fairy Wrens

 SUPERB BLUE WRENS COMING OUT OF WINTER

Like most of southern Victoria, the weather in Kilmore this week has been wet and very cold. While traveling to Melbourne on the train yesterday, I could see see snow on the slopes of the Old Sydney Road south of Wallan.

With just a little sun,  the small birds come out to forage.

These Superb Fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) – were in amongst the dried out furze and wattle saplings at Kilmore East, up and down between the ground and the scrub, searching for small insects. Research has suggested that ants and shield bugs make up a large proportion of the wrens' food intake.  

I assume these to be young males, born last season and just beginning to show some colour. The vivid blue breeding colours come after their first year.