Hi everone,
I have noticed that there are no bright blue males around, during the mating season I had about 4 vividly coloured male blue wrens and now I haven't seen one for a few weeks. There are lots of females and males with just very little colouring mainly on the tail. The population seems strong and lots of babies were successfully raised but I am wondering where the alpha males are gone. Someone told me they lose that bright colouring and regain it during the mating season but I dont see how. I would love to know what the story is
Tory
Hi Tory, you must have missed my comments about the male Fairy-wrens. I have posted a few photos over the last weeks talking about the "changing back into the non-breeding colours of the male wren. But if you have look back at my posts, you will find them. There was one just last Sunday 10/3 , under Best Photos:
" Male eclipse of a Superb Fairy-wren." Have a look. That's why you don't see more male Wrens in their breeding plumage, when the breeding season is over, they will retain their blue tail and turn a more grey/brownish coulor.Just for showing one to you , here it is one changing:
M-L
Here is one at an earlier stage of eclipse.
M-L
don't you just love them? They will be back in full colours next season. They are my favourite little bird.
(posted that on the 19/02/13, the end of breeding.)
Enjoy.
M-L
Tory's question "how" is something many of us probably don't think too much about. Is it a part of the moulting cycle, where old feathers fade then moult off, to be replaced by new brilliant plumage during the mating season? Maybe its not that simple.
Thanks everyone, I should have looked through the forum first Araminta, thanks for the info and the photos I really didn't know this,they are spectacular little birds. I thought all alpha males had gone bush :-) as for 'how' they do it, thanks Night Parrot for your explanation, it might be that smiple but I guess moulting is never a simple process. Dear little things they are
Funny that Night Parrot, I was just thinking about that "how". I looked at the many photos I have taken of the progress day by day. I think Holly could explain the "how" to me. (or all)? If you look at the second photo I posted here, it doesn't look as if the old feathers fall out , it almost looks as if new ones in a different colour grow over the top, there is still a blue tinge underneath?
.Or does the pigmentation change, because the hormones change during the off-season? I'd be interested in the answer. That was the main reason for me taking all those photos at the beginning of the season and now at the end.
M-L
Tory, sometimes you may see male superb fairy-wrens in breeding plumage outside breeding season. According to the Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds these are birds of about 4 years of age & older.