Saturday, December 12, 2009

FAIRY WREN: Discover the Deeper Truth


Often seen in people’s gardens, Fairy Wren is usually looking for a tasty Insect. Shy in nature, Fairy Wren is however tolerant of people. Popular in Australia, people regularly see Him in parks hopping about.

Despite his brilliant blue colours, Fairy Wren is difficult to see in the undergrowth. Since Fairy Wren is more cautious than the Female Fairy Wren (who has drabber feathers), He leaves promptly when an intruder approaches. If Fairy Wren spies a flying Insect, He hops straight up to snatch it, and then dives back to safety in the nearby bushes.

Fairy Wren’s family arrangements were confusing to many scientists. They thought He was socially monogamous but sexually promiscuous. However what they mistook for Female Fairy Wrens were the non-breeding Males. In Fairy Wren’s small group, there is one breeding pair – the dominant Female and her Partner. The Rest are relatives, who will usually leave when They are about four years old.

Fairy Wren teaches that things are not always what they seem. The boldly coloured Male hides in the underbrush. When with his small family, He can be mistaken for a Female if He is not breeding. His family being ruled by a Female is unusual as well. Fairy Wren insists that you look beyond the surface to discover the deeper truths. However, he does caution that the deeper truth maybe staring you in the face, without any probing.

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Science Notes:
1. The Wrens of Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand (antwrens, emu-wrens, fairy wrens, grasswrens and wren-babblers,) are not related and are not wrens. They belong to their own families. Fairy Wrens belong to a family of small insect eating birds in Australia and New Guinea called Maluridae.

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