Superb Fairy-wren
| Photographed by | Michael Hamel-Green on Fri 6th Feb, 2026 and uploaded on Mon 6th Apr, 2026 . | ||||||||||||||||||
| Resolution | 1800x1070 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Viewed | 53 | ||||||||||||||||||
| ID | 73670 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Comment | A male Superb Fairy-wren, perched and ready to pounce on the next passing mosquito, cranefly or dragonfly. He is in the process of changing out of his “Superwren” bright blue and black courting outfit into his more mundane non-breeding autumn/winter suit of brown and white, similar to females except for retaining a dark blue tail. We think of Superb Fairywrens as one of our most common and loveable birds but the latest detailed research published in the science journal “Nature” says it is likely to become extinct across Australia within the next 30 to 40 years (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-01/fears-for-superb-fairy-wrens-as-experts-predict-extinction/106520198). The study is based on detailed research conducted in Canberra at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, where more than half of the Superb Fairy-wrens died over just a one-year period, The research found that an “"accumulation of many small effects of climate change had caused a decline in the species" at the Australian National Botanic Gardens, and that “the entire species across Australia could go extinct by 2062 unless action was taken to stop greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change” (ibid.). The researchers went on to explain: “Population growth has been influenced by multiple aspects of climate, but declines are most strongly linked to low fecundity during dry springs and reduced survival during unusually warm winters and preceding hot summers." Another group of Fairy-wrens in the foothills of Mt Ainslie recorded in an even greater mortality rate of 70% over the winter of 2025. We can easily become complacent about birds we regard as common or not endangered but may well be overlooking imminent threats to even our most familiar and loveable of common birds. My own grandchildren may never see another Superb Fairy-wren in the wild after they reach their early thirties, and future generations may never see them again. This is the desolate future, bereft of beauty, we are creating by our failure to act on climate change. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Equipment | Exposure time : 1 / 2000 FNumber : 6.3 Focal Length : 600 ISO Speed Ratings : 2200 LensModel : NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S Make : NIKON CORPORATION Model : NIKON Z 8 Software : Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 15.2.1 (Macintosh) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Western Lagoon, Western Treatment Plant , Werribee, Victoria | ||||||||||||||||||
| Keywords | male, adult, breeding plumage/colours | ||||||||||||||||||
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| ApertureFNumber | COMPUTED | f/6.3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Make | IFD0 | NIKON CORPORATION | |||||||||||||||||
| Model | IFD0 | NIKON Z 8 | |||||||||||||||||
| Software | IFD0 | Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 15.2.1 (Macintosh) | |||||||||||||||||
| ExposureTime | EXIF | 1/2000 | |||||||||||||||||
| FNumber | EXIF | F6.3 | |||||||||||||||||
| ExposureProgram | EXIF | Aperture priority | |||||||||||||||||
| ISOSpeedRatings | EXIF | 2200 | |||||||||||||||||
| DateTimeOriginal | EXIF | 2026:02:06 06:44:21 | |||||||||||||||||
| ShutterSpeedValue (APEX 10.965784) | EXIF | 1/2000 | |||||||||||||||||
| ApertureValue (APEX 5.310704) | EXIF | F6 | |||||||||||||||||
| ExposureBiasValue | EXIF | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| MeteringMode | EXIF | Pattern | |||||||||||||||||
| LightSource | EXIF | unknown | |||||||||||||||||
| Flash | EXIF | Flash did not fire. | |||||||||||||||||
| FocalLength | EXIF | 600mm | |||||||||||||||||
| ExposureMode | EXIF | Automatic Exposure | |||||||||||||||||
| WhiteBalance | EXIF | Automatic White Balance | |||||||||||||||||
| LensModel | EXIF | NIKKOR Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S | |||||||||||||||||
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