The Superb Fairywren – The Corporate Mob ~ by a j mithra

The Superb Fairywren is one of 12 species of the genus Malurus, commonly known as Fairywren, also known as the Superb Blue-wren or colloquially as the Blue Wren, is a passerine bird of the Maluridae family found in Australia and lowland New Guinea..

The Superb Fairywren can be found in almost any area that has at least a little dense undergrowth for shelter, including grasslands with scattered shrubs, moderately thick forest, woodland, heaths, and domestic gardens. It has adapted well to the urban environment and is common in suburban Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

Superb Fairywrens are predominantly insectivorous. They mainly eats insects and supplements its diet with seeds. They eat a wide range of small creatures (mostly insects such as ants, grasshoppers, shield bugs, flies, weevils and various larvae) as well as small quantities of seeds, flowers, and fruit….

During winter, when food may be scarce, ants are an important ‘last resort’ food, constituting a much higher proportion of the diet Nestlings, in contrast to adult birds, are fed a diet of larger items such as caterpillars and grasshoppers…

Their foraging, termed ‘hop-searching’, occurs on the ground or in shrubs that are less than two meters high. Because this foraging practice renders them vulnerable to predators, birds tend to stick fairly close to cover and forage in groups….

The Superb Fairywren is a cooperative breeding species, with pairs or groups of 3–5 birds maintaining and defending small territories year-round. The group consists of a social pair with one or more male or female helper birds that were hatched in the territory, though they may not necessarily be the offspring of the main pair. These birds assist in defending the territory and feeding and rearing the young…

Birds in a group roost side-by-side in dense cover as well as engaging in mutual preening. The group often shelters and rests together during the heat of the day. If only we, as believers, could learn to stick close together, we can easily turn satan, our predator in to a prey…

That is why the Bible says,

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Mathew 18:20

Jesus too asked His disciples to go in twos to minister unto people…

Now after these things the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself was about to come. Luke 10:1

Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm [alone]? Ecclesiastes 4:11

These beautiful birds seem to know the secret of not only sticking close together, but also, engage in mutual preening…

We may call ourselves as the body of Christ but, when are we going to learn to stick together as one and help one another to grow in the Lord?

Several courtship displays by Superb Fairywren males have been recorded. The ‘sea horse flight’, named for its seahorse-like undulations, is one such display. During this exaggerated flight, the male—with his neck extended and his head feathers erect—tilts his body from horizontal to vertical, and descends slowly and springs upwards by rapidly beating his wings after alighting on the ground.

The ‘face fan’ display may be seen as a part of aggressive or sexual display behaviors; it involves the flaring of the blue ear tufts by erecting the feathers…

These male bird’s tilting of its body reminds us of God’s mercy..

The following verse shows the (horizontal) mercy and (vertical) grace of God…

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:11, 12

That is the reason Jesus descended slowly from heaven and gave His life for you and me…

Remember He took four thousand years since Adam and Eve to come down from heaven to redeem mankind from sin and shame..

And He ascended rapidly to heaven, to prepare a mansion for us…

Is there a better mating display on the face of the earth than the descending and ascending of our Lord Jesus to save the entire human race? Thank You Jesus, for your mercy and grace…..

Vocal communication among Superb Fairywrens is used primarily for communication between birds in a social group and for advertising and mobbing, or defending a territory. Superb Fairywrens’ alarm call is a series of brief sharp chits, universally given and understood by small birds in response to predators. Females also emit a purr while incubating. The basic, or Type I, song is a 1–4 second high-pitched reel consisting of 10–20 short elements per second and is sung by both males and females. Males also possess a peculiar song-like Type II vocalization, which is given in response to the calls of predatory birds, commonly Grey Butcherbirds (Cracticus torquatus). The purpose of this behavior, which does not elicit a response from other nearby wrens, remains unknown…. It may serve to announce male fitness, but this is far from certain…

Though this bird’s alarm call does not elicit response from other nearby wrens, it never stops  reminding others about the presence of the predator through its calls..

No matter how they respond, God has kept us as watchmen over His people to warn about the presence of the predator..

Ezekiel 33:4-7 shows us God’s purpose in our lives…

Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head

He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

Like all Fairywrens, the Superb Fairywren is an active and restless feeder, particularly on open ground near shelter, but also through the lower foliage. Movement is a series of jaunty hops and bounces, with its balance assisted by a proportionally large tail, which is usually held upright, and rarely still. The short, rounded wings provide good initial lift and are useful for short flights, though not for extended jaunts. During spring and summer, birds are active in bursts through the day and accompany their foraging with song. Insects are numerous and easy to catch, which allows the birds to rest between forays. Food is harder to find during winter and they are required to spend the day foraging continuously…

These birds are restless feeders and they also sing while foraging….

If only we become restless feeders like these birds on the word of God and if only we sing and praise Jesus continuously all through the day, our Lord would encompass us with His presence…

Remember our Lord dwells among our praises…

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Philippians 4:6)

Have a blessed day!

Yours in YESHUA,
a j mithra

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