Purple-backed Fairywren
Purple-backed FairywrenPurple-backed FairywrenPurple-backed FairywrenPurple-backed Fairywren

Purple-backed Fairywren

Malurus assimilis

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Ningaloo Marine Park
77 Verified records at Ningaloo Marine Park
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The purple-backed fairywren (Malurus assimilis) is a fairywren that is native to Australia. Described by Alfred John North in 1901, it has four recognised subspecies. In a species that exhibits sexual dimorphism, the brightly coloured breeding male has chestnut shoulders and azure crown and ear coverts, while non-breeding males, females and juveniles have predominantly grey-brown plumage, although females of two subspecies have mainly blue-grey plumage. Distributed over much of the Australian continent, the purple-backed fairywren is found in scrubland with plenty of vegetation providing dense cover. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Purple-backed Fairywren sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park, based on 77 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Ningaloo Marine Park

White-winged Fairywren
LC Endemic

White-winged Fairywren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Malurus leucopterus

30–40% · Possible
Splendid Fairywren
LC Endemic

Splendid Fairywren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Malurus splendens

Insufficient data
Rufous-crowned Emuwren
LC Endemic

Rufous-crowned Emuwren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Stipiturus ruficeps

5–10% · With luck
Singing Honeyeater
LC Endemic

Singing Honeyeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gavicalis virescens

70–80% · Very likely
Pied Butcherbird
LC Endemic

Pied Butcherbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cracticus nigrogularis

50–60% · Likely
Welcome Swallow
LC

Welcome Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo neoxena

50–60% · Likely
Yellow-throated Miner
LC Endemic

Yellow-throated Miner

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Manorina flavigula

50–60% · Likely
Torresian Crow
LC

Torresian Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus orru

40–50% · Likely
Magpie-lark
LC

Magpie-lark

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Grallina cyanoleuca

30–40% · Possible
Brown Honeyeater
LC

Brown Honeyeater

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lichmera indistincta

30–40% · Possible
Zebra Finch
LC

Zebra Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Taeniopygia guttata

30–40% · Possible
Western Bowerbird
LC Endemic

Western Bowerbird

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Chlamydera guttata

30–40% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
10–20
Feb
20–30
Mar
20–30
Apr
20–30
May
10–20
Jun
10–20
Jul
20–30
Aug
20–30
Sep
5–10
Oct
20–30
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Flinders Ranges National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
2 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
40–50%
3 Ningaloo Marine Park 🇦🇺 Australia
10–20%
4 Kakadu National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
5 Nitmiluk National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Purple-backed Fairywren in Ningaloo Marine Park?

About 18% of wildlife watchers report a Purple-backed Fairywren sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park, based on 77 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Purple-backed Fairywren in Ningaloo Marine Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for Purple-backed Fairywren in Ningaloo Marine Park in our monthly data.

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