Below, we’ve listed some of the more common types of fairies that people are likely to encounter, but this is by no means a complete list. Most of the residents of the fairy realm will fall into one of three categories: neutral, Seelie, and Unseelie fairies. Neutral fairies are just that, neither aligned with the light or dark. This may be an oversimplification, but the Seelie are generally considered to be the light (mainly positive) fairies while the Unseelie are quite the opposite.

The Well-Known Pixies

No taller than 6 inches, the winged pixies can shape-shift the size of their humanoid form as needed. Although they can be very curious, fun-loving creatures, they do have another side. They feel a great responsibility toward other, similar-sized fairies (brownies and gherrings) and often become involved as peacekeepers.

Pixies love flowers and gardens and, like hummingbirds, they love to sip nectar from flowers like honeysuckle. They have a very high metabolism, so they frequently enjoy high energy foods like sweets, milk, and cream.

These hard-working, industrious people live in large colonies designed to ensure their safety. They build their cities high up in trees and magically cloak them, so they are unlikely to be discovered. When encountering danger, they like to face their enemy as a massive cloud of angry pixies, similar to a swarm of bees.

Despite their fierce defensive posture, they are very friendly, kind and helpful to many different types of beings, including humans. Pixies can live to be 100 years old and are ruled by a king or queen.

Pixies are one of the most common types of fairies and are the type of fae most often seen by humans.

Trooping Fairies

Trooping fairies are generally similar in appearance to brownies (see below) and do not have wings. In fact, a brownie we spoke to told us trooping fairies are actually brownies that troop together in long lines. This formation often happens when they are going to war.

Trooping fairies tend to be a bit different from the average brownie. They are more serious, organized and sophisticated in lifestyle compared to the more rustic, and friendly brownie.

To stay out of sight, trooping fairies prefer to travel through the woods where there is a lot of underbrush. Some people also believe they inhabit trees which are often referred to as “fairy trees.”