Meet The Incredible White-Winged Fairywren Bird
The generation length is estimated, with medium reliability, to be two years (Garnett & Crowley 2000).
No interbreeding has been recorded between the White-winged Fairy-wren (Dirk Hartog Island) and any other subspecies of the White-winged Fairy-wren. However, genetic analysis suggests that White-winged Fairy-wrens (Dirk Hartog Island) interbred in the past with the mainland subspecies M. l. leuconotus. There is evidence to indicate that this interbreeding has ceased, although given the proximity of Dirk Hartog Island to the adjacent mainland (about 2 km), and that unconfirmed sightings of black-plumaged birds have occasionally been reported on the Peron Penisula (Driskell et al. 2002; Pizzey 1980; Schodde & Mason 1999) (the breeding plumage of males on the mainland is blue rather than black [Higgins et al. 2001; Johnstone & Storr 2004] and, therefore, black-plumaged birds are presumed to originate from Dirk Hartog Island), it is possible that some occasional interbreeding may continue to occur (Driskell et al. 2002).
Land Tenure of Populations
The entire population of the White-winged Fairy-wren (Dirk Hartog Island) is confined to Dirk Hartog Island (Schodde & Mason 1999), which occurs within the Shark Bay World Heritage Area.
Habitat
The White-winged Fairy-wren (Dirk Hartog Island) inhabits low, dense shrublands and heathlands, and open flats dominated by shrubs (such as Acacia, Atriplex, Dryandra, Hakea, Halosarcia, Melaleuca, Rhagodia, Scaevola, Sida and Thryptomene), and that, in some locations, also support some spinifex (Johnstone & Storr 2004; Rathburn & Montgomerie 2003; Wells & Wells 1974; Whitlock 1919, 1921). The White-winged Fairy-wren (Dirk Hartog Island) occurs from near sea level to the summit of Herald Heights, which at approximately 180 m above sea level, is the highest point on Dirk Hartog Island (Whitlock 1921).
No interbreeding has been recorded between the White-winged Fairy-wren (Dirk Hartog Island) and any other subspecies of the White-winged Fairy-wren. However, genetic analysis suggests that White-winged Fairy-wrens (Dirk Hartog Island) interbred in the past with the mainland subspecies M. l. leuconotus. There is evidence to indicate that this interbreeding has ceased, although given the proximity of Dirk Hartog Island to the adjacent mainland (about 2 km), and that unconfirmed sightings of black-plumaged birds have occasionally been reported on the Peron Penisula (Driskell et al. 2002; Pizzey 1980; Schodde & Mason 1999) (the breeding plumage of males on the mainland is blue rather than black [Higgins et al. 2001; Johnstone & Storr 2004] and, therefore, black-plumaged birds are presumed to originate from Dirk Hartog Island), it is possible that some occasional interbreeding may continue to occur (Driskell et al. 2002).
Land Tenure of Populations
The entire population of the White-winged Fairy-wren (Dirk Hartog Island) is confined to Dirk Hartog Island (Schodde & Mason 1999), which occurs within the Shark Bay World Heritage Area.
Habitat
The White-winged Fairy-wren (Dirk Hartog Island) inhabits low, dense shrublands and heathlands, and open flats dominated by shrubs (such as Acacia, Atriplex, Dryandra, Hakea, Halosarcia, Melaleuca, Rhagodia, Scaevola, Sida and Thryptomene), and that, in some locations, also support some spinifex (Johnstone & Storr 2004; Rathburn & Montgomerie 2003; Wells & Wells 1974; Whitlock 1919, 1921). The White-winged Fairy-wren (Dirk Hartog Island) occurs from near sea level to the summit of Herald Heights, which at approximately 180 m above sea level, is the highest point on Dirk Hartog Island (Whitlock 1921).
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09 July 2023
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