Noongar bird stories – from an article by Peter Hancock, Sydney Morning Herald, April 5, 2014
When the birds were competing for their colours, the most difficult colour to obtain was blue, which was kept in the sky. The birds realised that only the highest-flying bird would be able to snatch some of the sky’s blue, so all the birds flew as high as they could until one by one they fell away, leaving only the eagle to soar above them all.
Warlitje the eagle was elated and was just about to claim his prize when Chiriger, the little grey wren, who had hidden among the feathers on the eagle’s back, suddenly fluttered up that little bit higher and in a flash stole the blue, becoming the beautiful splendid wren. The eagle was so angry at being condemned to be dull brown that he swore to attack and kill Chiriger if he ever again flew higher than the low scrub, which is why splendid wrens stay close to the ground to this very day.
