Fairy-wrens (Maluridae)

Lovely Fairy-wren (Malurus amabilis) - HBW 12, p. 519

French: Mérion ravissant German: Schmuckstaffelschwanz Spanish: Maluro Amable
Other common names: Lovely Wren

Taxonomy: Malurus amabilis Gould, 1852, Cape York, northern Queensland, Australia.
Part of the “chestnut-shouldered group”, which includes also M. lamberti, M. pulcherrimus and M. elegans. Forms a superspecies with M. lamberti; sometimes considered conspecific, mainly on account of blue female plumage of present species and of races dulcis and rogersi of latter, but protein data support treatment as separate species. Birds from SE of range described as race barroni, but considered inseparable from populations elsewhere. Monotypic.

Distribution: N Queensland (from N tip of Cape York Peninsula S to R Edward and, in E, to N of Townsville), in NE Australia.