The red-winged fairywren (Malurus elegans) is a perching bird in the family Maluridae. It is non-migratory, and endemic to the southwestern corner of Western Australia. The sexes are dimorphic: females, juveniles and non-breeding males have predominantly grey-brown plumage, but breeding males adopt brilliant colours, with an iridescent silvery-blue crown and upper back, red-brown shoulders, a black throat, grey-brown wings and pale underparts. Though the red-winged fairywren is locally common, there is evidence of a decline in numbers. Primarily insectivorous, it forages and lives in the shelter of scrubby vegetation in temperate wetter forests dominated by the karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor), remaining close to cover to avoid predators. Like other fairywrens, it is a cooperative breeding species, with small groups of birds maintaining and defending small territories year-round. Groups consist of a socially monogamous pair with several helper birds who assist in raising the young.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-winged_fairywren

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

786:

Harun al-Rashid became the Abbasid caliph upon the death of his brother al-Hadi. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harun_al-Rashid

1752:

In adopting the Gregorian calendar under the terms of the Calendar (New Style) Act 1750, the British Empire skipped eleven days: (September 2 was followed directly by September 14). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_(New_Style)_Act_1750

1914:

HMAS AE1, the Royal Australian Navy's first submarine, was lost at sea; its wreck has never been found. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_AE1

1975:

Elizabeth Ann Seton became the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Ann_Seton

2007:

Late-2000s financial crisis: The Northern Rock bank received a liquidity support facility from the Bank of England, sparking a bank run—the United Kingdom's first in 150 years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Rock

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

entrench: 1. (archaeology) To dig or excavate a trench; to trench. 2. (military) To surround or provide with a trench, especially for defense; to dig in. 3. (figuratively) To establish a substantial position in business, politics, etc. 4. To invade; to encroach; to infringe or trespass; to enter on, and take possession of, that which belongs to another; usually followed by on or upon. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/entrench

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

The principal difference between love and hate is that love is an irradiation, and hate is a concentration. Love makes everything lovely; hate concentrates itself on the object of its hatred. All the fearful counterfeits of love — possessiveness, lust, vanity, jealousy — are closer to hate: they concentrate on the object, guard it, suck it dry.   --Sydney J. Harris https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Sydney_J._Harris