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Hybrid Wren?

To: "Messages Birding-aus" <>
Subject: Hybrid Wren?
From: "Bob Forsyth" <>
Date: Fri, 10 May 2002 10:56:13 +1000
g'day all,
Re Paul Osborn's note of a possible sighting of a "hybrid between a Variegated Fairy Wren and a Red-backed Fairy Wren."
 
I regularly see clans of Variegated F-w and Red-backed F-w feeding together ... and on one occasion also with White-winged F-w
 
Several times I've observed a clan of Red-backed F-w that included a single non-plumaged Variegated F-w from presumably a group seen feeding about 50m away.
 
Hybridisation is probably not unlikely.
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here some references I dug out re F-w co-existence and hybridisation.
 
Julian Ford
Hybridisation of Splendid and Turquoise Wrens. 
Emu 75, Pt 3,1975,July, p153-154.
 
Malcolm Wilson
Apparent hybridisation between two species of Fairy-wren
(They were Red-backed and Superb.. B.F.)
Sunbird V13,No.2,1983,June, p38-39
(Sunbird is the Journal of Birds Queensland/Qld Ornithological Society)

Ford, J.R.; & Johnstone, R.E. 
Hybridisation between Malurus lamberti rogersi and Malurus lamberti assimilis in north-western Australia. 
EMU 91: 251-254.
 
Sonia Tidemann
Emu 90, Pt 1, 1990, p7-14
Factors Affecting Territory Establishment, Size and use by Three Co-existing Species of F-w
(Superb, Variegated and White-winged .. B.F.)
 
Regards, Bob Forsyth, Mount Isa, NW Qld.
 
ps When I see the Red-backed and Variegated together the plumaged male Red-backed invariably is seen higher up a tree than the Variegated .. B.F.
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