Broad-billed fairywren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Broad-billed fairywren |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Maluridae |
| Genus: | Chenorhamphus |
| Species: |
C. grayi
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| Binomial name | |
| Chenorhamphus grayi (Wallace, 1862)
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| Synonyms | |
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The broad-billed fairywren (scientific name: Chenorhamphus grayi) is a small, colorful bird. It belongs to the Australasian wren family, called Maluridae. You can find this special bird in the warm, wet forests of northern and north-western New Guinea. It loves living in places with lots of trees and moisture.
Contents
Discovering the Broad-billed Fairywren
This bird was first described by a famous scientist named Alfred Russel Wallace in 1862. He gave it the name Todopsis grayi back then.
For a while, the broad-billed fairywren was grouped with another bird, Campbell's fairywren. They were both placed in the Malurus genus. But in 2011, scientists did some amazing DNA tests. They looked at the birds' genetic material, like a blueprint for life.
These tests showed that the broad-billed fairywren and Campbell's fairywren were actually quite different. So, scientists decided to separate them into their own species again. The study also found that the broad-billed fairywren was closely related to other birds like Wallace's fairywren and Clytomyias. Because of these findings, the broad-billed fairywren was given its very own genus, Chenorhamphus.
Sometimes, people call this bird by other names too. These include the broad-billed wren or the broad-billed wren-warbler.
Life and Habits of the Fairywren
Not a lot is known about the daily life of the broad-billed fairywren. But scientists believe it mainly eats insects.
What Do They Eat?
Like other fairywrens in New Guinea, this bird looks for food on the ground. It also searches in thick plants and around tree roots. They usually feed in the lower parts of the forest, up to about 5 meters (16 feet) high.
Raising a Family
Scientists have found male broad-billed fairywrens ready to breed in July. Young birds, called fledglings, have also been seen in February. This suggests they might breed at different times of the year.
Only one nest of a broad-billed fairywren has ever been found. It was about 50 centimeters (20 inches) off the ground in a primary forest. The nest was hidden inside a mossy hollow on a young tree trunk. It was about 8 centimeters (3 inches) deep and 5 centimeters (2 inches) wide. The nest was cozy, lined with dry needles and strips of bark. In October, this special nest held two baby chicks!
 | Laphonza Butler |
 | Daisy Bates |
 | Elizabeth Piper Ensley |
