Purple-backed Fairywren

1. Long blue tail, usually held upright with small white tips

2. Breeding males have a pale blue crown, black breast, and purple-blue back with chestnut shoulders

3. Females in northern Australia have blue-grey upperparts; elsewhere, females are grey-brown

This species lives in cooperative groups, with young from previous broods assisting in raising new chicks. Breeding mainly occurs from July to December, but can also follow late-summer rains. Females build domed nests with side entrances in low shrubs or small trees. Their diet consists primarily of insects, which they collect from shrubs and the ground. Habitat loss due to overgrazing and changes in fire regimes are significant threats, particularly in arid areas

Purple-backed Fairy-wrens inhabit dense, shrubby vegetation in arid and semi-arid regions of Australia. They are often found in mulga scrub, dense shrublands along creeks, coastal scrub, and rocky thickets. These birds are most active at dawn, foraging in small family groups. Their soft, drawn-out "treeee" call and upright tails help observers locate them as they move through low vegetation.

The Purple-backed Fairy-wren has adapted to a range of inland Australian environments, resulting in four recognized subspecies with notable differences in female plumage. This variation reflects their adaptation to diverse habitats across the continent`.`