The broad-billed fairywren is a species of bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is found in northern and north-western New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Region
New Guinea
Typical Environment
Occurs in northern and north‑western New Guinea, mainly in lowland tropical rainforest. It favors dense understory, vine tangles, secondary growth, forest edges, and riparian thickets. Birds typically keep to shaded, cluttered microhabitats where they forage quietly and unobtrusively. It is often recorded at the margins of primary forest and along streams and forest tracks.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 900 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This New Guinea fairywren is distinctive for its unusually broad, flattened bill, which helps it snatch small insects from foliage and tangles. Pairs often keep close contact with soft, tinkling calls and may duet. It frequents dense understory and vine thickets, making it more often heard than seen. Like many fairywrens, it builds a domed nest low in vegetation.
Temperament
secretive and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats, low fluttering flights
Social Behavior
Usually found in pairs or small family groups that keep close contact in dense cover. Cooperative breeding is suspected as in other fairywrens, with helpers accompanying breeding pairs. Nests are domed structures placed low in thick vegetation, often well concealed. They may join mixed-species flocks along forest edges.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song and calls are high-pitched, thin trills and tinkling notes, often delivered in short series. Pairs may engage in soft duets to maintain contact in dense foliage.
Plumage
Male shows bright blue upperparts with a contrasting black facial mask and throat; the back and crown are vividly blue while the wings are darker. Female is warm brown above with buff underparts and a bluish tail, lacking the male’s black mask. Both sexes have a noticeably broad, flattened bill and a relatively long tail carried cocked.
Diet
Primarily small insects and other arthropods such as beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and ants. Forages by gleaning from leaves, twigs, and vine tangles, and occasionally by short sallies to grab prey. It inspects suspended dead leaves and clusters of vines where prey accumulates. Larger items are subdued by bashing against a perch.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in dense understory, vine thickets, forest margins, and along streamside vegetation. Often chooses shaded, tangled growth that provides cover and abundant arthropods.
