Malurus's Splendid Coat

A story told by the Minganboo to Jane, who was listening intently

The Jane and the Minganboo series is a collection of stories I've written as Australian stories, with our bush, our seasons, our animals, our lifestyles. This is the second in the series. You are reading it in its unillustrated form, as the accuracy I want for the illustrations has so far escaped me. Let me assure you that the illustrations will be both pretty and reliable when I can get them done.

This story was written in 1999 and 2000 as the result of some studies into birds of the genus Malurus. These birds are known to most Australians as the fairy wrens or sometimes blue wrens. I've tried to be as accurate as I can when describing the birds and their behaviour, with a little poetic licence here and there. I hope this gives you both a fun story and a window into one of Australia's beautiful birds.

The author is a 25-year-old wanderer who is fascinated by the ecology and natural history of Western Australia. She studies science (several disciplines) formally and informally, and works voluntarily to help encourage tourists and locals alike to appreciate the wonders they are standing in the middle of. She also likes writing stories.

Open the book
Put the book back on the sorting table