Habitat creation in a different way: Superb Fairy-wrens Malurus cyaneus nesting inside a tree guard

Nest predation is a chief cause of reproductive failure in birds, warranting defensive strategies such as nest concealment. This note reports an observation of a Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus nest built on top of a sedge grass enclosed by a tree guard at a tree-planting site in Bega, New South Wales. Although this meant that the nest was lower to the ground than a typical natural nest, its situation within the tree guard might have conversely offered the benefits of visual concealment and a physical barrier from nest predators. With at least three nestlings close to fledging age present, this nesting attempt would be considered successful. This outcome is significant in light of high rates of nest predation observed in other studies.