• Summary
• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Distribution map
• Reference and further resources

Taxonomic note
Malurus lamberti has been split into Variegated Fairy-wren M. lamberti (monotypic) and Purple-backed Fairy-wren M. assimilis (with races rogersi, dulcis and bernieri) following the proposal by McLean et al. (2017) upon finding that the two forms occur in close proximity with very little hybridisation along the Great Dividing Range. Using information from the paper, it appears that M. lamberti separates from M. assimilis and other subspecies by its; much paler, brighter shade of (different) blues on crown, ear-coverts and mantle (score = 3); extensive fawn-grey vs reduced fawn-grey to pale cinnamon flanks (1); longer tail (no raw data given, but at least 1); and either parapatric distribution (score 3) or very narrow hybrid zone (2; latter preferred on the evidence provided).

Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2019. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 4. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v4_Dec19.zip.
McLean, A. J., Toon, A., Schmidt, D. J., Hughes, J. M., & Joseph, L. 2017. Phylogeography and geno-phenotypic discordance in a widespread Australian bird, the Variegated Fairy-wren, Malurus lamberti (Aves: Maluridae). Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 121(3): 655-669.

Population justification: The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be locally fairly common (Flegg and Madge 1995).

Trend justification: The population size is suspected to be stable.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Variegated Fairywren Malurus lamberti. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/variegated-fairywren-malurus-lamberti on 26/12/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 26/12/2024.