Rufous-crowned emu-wren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rufous-crowned emu-wren |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Stipiturus
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| Species: |
ruficeps
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The rufous-crowned emu-wren (Stipiturus ruficeps) is a tiny bird that belongs to the Australasian wren family, called Maluridae. This special bird lives only in Australia, meaning it is endemic to that country.
About Its Name and Family
The rufous-crowned emu-wren is one of three types of birds in the Stipiturus group. These birds are often called emu-wrens because their tails look a bit like the feathers of an emu. You can find them across southern and central Australia.
A scientist named Archibald James Campbell first described this bird in 1899. This was more than 100 years after its relative, the southern emu-wren, was discovered. The bird's scientific name, ruficeps, comes from two Latin words: rufus, which means "red," and caput, which means "head." This perfectly describes its reddish crown!
What It Looks Like
The rufous-crowned emu-wren is the smallest of the three emu-wren species. It also has the brightest colors.
- Males: Adult male birds have reddish feathers on their upper body with faint stripes. Their crown, which is the top of their head, is a clear rufous (reddish-brown) color. Their wings are grey-brown. They have a bright sky-blue throat, upper chest, and blue patches around their eyes and ears. These blue areas might have some black streaks. Their tail is very long, about twice the length of their body! It has six thin, hair-like feathers, with the two middle ones being longer. Their belly is a light yellowish-brown. Their beak, feet, and eyes are brown.
- Females: Female birds look similar to the males but do not have as much blue on their feathers. Their crown is not as red. Their throat is a yellowish-brown, and they might have some blue-tinged streaks near their ears. Their beak is a pale brown.
Where It Lives
The rufous-crowned emu-wren lives in the dry, central parts of northern Australia. You can find it from the Simpson Desert in the southeast to the Barkly Tableland in the northeast. It also lives across the center of Australia, all the way to the Western Australian coast and the Pilbara region in the northwest.
There is also a separate group of these birds living to the east, in southwestern Queensland. This area is near towns like Dajarra, Winton, Fermoy, and Boulia. These birds prefer to live in areas with Spinifex plants, which are a type of spiky grass found in dry shrublands.
See also
In Spanish: Stipiturus ruficeps para niños
