malurid

plural malurids

1. biologyAny bird of the family Maluridae, insectivorous passerine birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea.

   Only a few of the 26 malurids have been studied sufficiently closely to reveal their social organization.

   1990, I. Rowley, E. Russell, “1: Splendid Fairy-wrens: demonstrating the importance of longevity”, in Peter B. Stacey, Walter D. Koenig, editors, Cooperative Breeding in Birds: Long Term Studies of Ecology and Behaviour, page 3

   2 more examples

   A number of typical riparian, reed-dwelling, woodland and tall open forest species that forage in the shrub and ground layers were possibly reduced in abundance and absent (e.g. muscicapids, cuculids, malurids, acanthizids, sylviids).

   1991, Queensland Naturalists' Club, Queensland Naturalist, volumes 31-35, page 56

   Fairywrens and Grasswrens, an account of the malurids by well-known ornithologists Ian Rowley and Eleanor Russell, is more than a field guide, but illustrated in guide style, three species to a plate, by Marsack.

   2001, Penny Olsen, Feather and Brush: Three Centuries of Australian Bird Art, page 98

   Synonyms: malurid wren, Australasian wren