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Emu-wrens are delightful little whisps of birds with long, thinly-feathered tails that look like the feathers of an emu. Males have blue throats, while females have reddish-brown throats. They are quiet, secretive birds of low bushes and grasses. Southern emu-wrens, shown here, are found in heathlands, sedges, and grasses around the southern coast of Australia; the other species live in spinifex scrub in the arid interior. I found these birds in a small sedge meadow in a park in the city of Wollongong on the southern coast of New South Wales. They stayed in thick cover for the most part, but occasionally perched briefly in some small Casurina trees, allowing a few relatively unobstructed views. I found it very difficult to get all of the extremely long tail into an image when the birds were close. It was fascinating (and a little depressing) to watch them call, as their voices are so high-pitched that my ears couldn't detect most of the notes -- I could see the bird singing but it seemed silent to me. |
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