Variegated Fairywren Malurus lamberti

A small bird with a very long blue tail that is held cocked. Breeding male has a bright pale-blue helmet, black breast, royal-blue back and chestnut shoulders. The tail is very long with small pale tips sometimes visible. Females are grayish birds with pale fronts, long blue tails, and very dark red patch between the eye and the bill (lores). This species is found in coastal New South Wales and Southeast Queensland, where it prefers wet and dense vegetation. In southeast Queensland it is believed occur mainly east of the Great Dividing Range, so take care when in this area to distinguish from Purple-backed Fairywren when close to the divide.