The largest fairy- wren. Male nominate race (all seasons) has crown light metallic royal blue, forehead, lores and side of head to narrow collar black (no contrastingly coloured ear- tufts); upper black, scapulars and uppertail- coverts deep turquoise- blue, lower back blue- black; upperwing and tail blackish with blue tinges, throat and underparts deep navy- blue; iris dark brown; bill black; legs dark grey- brown. Female has head much as male, upperparts chestnut, tail black with broad white tips, throat deep blue, underparts white; eyes and bill as male, legs mid- brown. Immature is basically like female, but with head dusky black, upperparts rusty- brown, entire undersurface white; young male passes through a female- like plumage before attaining full adult plumage. Races differ only in depth of coloration; mysorensis is like nominate but has crown light cobalt- blue, female with darker blue crown; bonapartii is somewhat darker than others.
Not Threatened
The largest fairy- wren. Male nominate race (all seasons) has crown light metallic royal blue, forehead, lores and side of head to narrow collar black (no contrastingly coloured ear- tufts); upper black, scapulars and uppertail- coverts deep turquoise- blue, lower back blue- black; upperwing and tail blackish with blue tinges, throat and under parts deep navy- blue; iris dark brown; bill black; legs dark grey- brown. Female has head much as male, upperparts chestnut, tail black with broad white tips, throat deep blue, under parts white; eyes and bill as male, legs mid- brown. Immature is basically like female, but with head dusky black, upperparts rusty- brown, entire under surface white; young male passes through a female- like plumage before attaining full adult plumage. Races differ only in depth of coloration; mysorensis is like nominate but has crown light cobalt- blue, female with darker blue crown; bonapartii is somewhat darker than others.
13- 16 cm; 12- 17 g
Taxonomy: Todus cyanocephalus Quoy and Gaimard, 1830, Manokwari, Vogelkop, north-west New Guinea. Originally included with M. grayi and Sipodotus wallacii in a separate genus, Todopsis; later placement in present genus supported by protein evidence. Race bonapartii intergrades with nominate in Geelvink Bay area. Birds from N New Guinea (E from R Mamberamo) described as race dohertyi, but considered inseparable from nominate. Three subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * cyanocephalus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1830) - Vogelkop E to Geelvink Bay and N lowland New Guinea (E to mouth of R Ramu). * mysorensis (A. B. Meyer, 1874) - Biak I, in Geelvink Bay. * bonapartii (G. R. Gray, 1859) - Aru Is, and S lowland New Guinea from Geelvink Bay E to E of Port Moresby.
Dense secondary growth at edges of forest, also forest openings, riversides, roadsides and overgrown gardens.
Arthropods; eats beetles (Coleoptera), bugs (Hemiptera), moths (Lepidoptera), grasshoppers (Orthoptera) and spiders (Araneae). Items gleaned from leaves, palm fronds and branches, generally within 1 m of ground. Forages noisily in family parties; not known to join mixed. Species flocks.
Little known. Juveniles recorded Mar- Dec, suggesting breeding in all months of year. Socially monogamous but probably sexually promiscuous (as congeners); remains paired throughout year. Co- operative breeder, frequently with helpers, usually progeny from previous years; generally in pairs or small groups, e. g. four males and one female attending recently fledged young. Only one nest found, gourd- shaped with side entrance, made from strips of fern and leaves woven together with pieces of moss, placed 1 m from ground in a bush contained 4 young.