Like other fairywrens, the splendid fairywren is unrelated to the true wren.

The splendid fairywren mainly eats insects and supplements its diet with seeds.

The splendid fairywren is widely distributed in the arid and semi-arid zones of Australia.

However, genetic evidence shows it is most closely related to the superb and splendid fairywren within the genus Malurus.

The habitat of the splendid fairywren ranges from forest to dry scrub, generally with ample vegetation for shelter.

Like all fairywrens, the splendid fairywren is an active and restless feeder, particularly on open ground near shelter, but also through the lower foliage.

It has lighter blue or turquoise upperparts than the splendid fairywren, as well as a black rump.

Splendid fairywren on Birdpedia.

Splendid fairywren (Malurus splendens)

The splendid fairywren (Malurus splendens), a passerine bird in the family Maluridae, is colored azure.

Unlike the eastern superb fairywren, the splendid fairywren has not adapted well to human occupation of the landscape and has disappeared from some urbanised areas.

The splendid fairywren is predominantly insectivorous; its diet includes a wide range of small creatures, mostly arthropods such as ants, grasshoppers, crickets, spiders and bugs.

Splendid Fairywren (Malurus splendens) Only recorded on 21/8 in the Kunoth Bore area where we saw about five birds.

On 12 August 1999, a superb fairywren was mistakenly illustrated for an Australia Post 45c pre-stamped envelope meant to depict a splendid fairywren.

The splendid fairywren is one of 12 species of the genus Malurus, commonly known as fairywrens, found in Australia and lowland New Guinea.

Within the genus, the superb fairy-wren's closest relative is the splendid fairywren; these two "blue wrens" are also related to the purple-crowned fairywren of northwestern Australia.

The splendid fairywren (Malurus splendens), also known simply as the splendid wren or more colloquially in Western Australia as the blue wren, is a passerine bird of the Maluridae family.

Like other fairywrens, the splendid fairywren is notable for several peculiar behavioural characteristics; birds are socially monogamous and sexually promiscuous, meaning that although they form pairs between one male and one female, each partner will mate with other individuals and even assist in raising the young from such trysts.