Bowerbirds, australian bowerbirds, satin bowerbird, western bowerbird, regent bowerbird

Bowerbirds of Australia...Builders in the Australian Bush
Natural Wanders…
exploring the natural world through writing

BUILDERS IN THE AUSTRALIAN BUSH
by Linda Lee Rathbun

Of the many interesting birds in the Australian bush, perhaps the most fascinating to observe are the bowerbirds. Knowing them brings a special appreciation of their appeal. Bowerbirds belong to the family Ptilonorhynchidae and are closely related to birds of paradise. While the male bird of paradise carries out his seduction by flaunting his exquisite feathers, the male bowerbird has taken his display to the ground and turned it into a one-ringed circus. It is an amusing, dramatic and endearing performance.
Other birds may clear small areas of ground for courtship, but only the male bowerbird decorates his prepared plot. Essentially, there are three types of bowers built by the birds. The "stage-making" species finds a suitable arena on the rainforest floor and carefully clears it of undesirable debris. Then he decorates the arena with assiduously selected leaves. A "maypole-builder" must first find the perfect prop: two small thin trees, fairly close together, and preferably with a branch that links them to each other. Around each tree the bird proceeds with the daunting task of building up a stack of twigs as high as two meters. Having completed this architectural labor of love, the bird now turns his talents to adorning the bower with an alluring array of lichen, shells and flowers. Lastly, there are the bowerbirds that have specialized as "avenue-builders". Here too, a plot is cleared, a foundation of sticks is laid down, and then two parallel walls of twigs are woven to form an avenue open at each end. Twigs can make a wall appear rather plain and dull, so the bower is painted with a mixture of saliva and juices of plants. The clearing around the bower is then landscaped with an array of fancy objects, including bones, berries, flowers, or bits and pieces attributable to the human presence. Some "avenue-builders" even plant moss which soon creates a lawn. It is not surprising then that early settlers thought the structures of bowerbirds were play areas made by Aboriginal mothers to amuse their children.
Dressed With the Right Hat
Of the eighteen species of bowerbirds found in Australia and New Guinea, I have had the opportunity to get to know three, and all of these are "avenue-builders". My first encounter was an unexpected meeting with the Great Bowerbird Chlamydera nuchalis in
Northern Australia. This feathered architect is about 27 cm in length, with a conservative suit of black and grey brown; not the most stunning of colors, but a dull outfit can always be dressed up with the right hat! So he dons a lilac patch on his nape, rather like an artist with a beret perched askew on his head. He paints the walls of the bower with saliva and grass juice, creating a red-brown mixture that will not clash with the surrounding décor. His bower sits on a square meter of cleared round, usually under a thicket of fig trees, and features his wealth of white prizes: bleached bones and snail shells, pale pebbles, seed pods, and berries. If the telltale signs of man are close by, these will be found in the bower. Small pieces of glass, white caps, and other bits of trash are turned to treasures, but reds, yellows, and blues are not desirable colors.
The male tends his bower tirelessly, making sure that each and every jewel is flaunted in the best possible way and making sure that every stick in his bower wall is woven in just the perfect manner. When a female approaches or enters the bower, the male struts his stuff. He throws himself into an animated dance, almost tripping over himself in the excitement of having a lady spectator. He runs and bounds about the bower grounds while his guest watches shyly from the thatched stall. Picking up a piece from his collection, he bobs his head all about. His lilac patch expands into a crown as he contorts himself through a mixture of bowing and strutting. This is accompanied by a repertoire of mimicry: the calls of other birds or even the barking of a dog, along with plenty of hissing , clicking and churring. For added effect, he may flap his wings and show his gaping yellow mouth. If the female finds his courtship irresistible, she will mate with him in this bush boudoir of love. If not, she will fly off, with the disconcerted male taking a few minutes to recover, and then he carries out some minor redecoration, as if to say "It couldn't have been me, it must have been my treasure trove she didn't like".
Handsome in a showy outfit
The Regent Bowerbird Sericulus chrysocephalus is as stunning as the Great Bowerbird is plain. I found a group living in the subtropical rainforests of Lamington National Park, in southeastern Queensland. The male is dressed in jet black, highlighted by bright yellow wings and a yellow head, capped with a bright orange patch just like the chapeau of a Sun King! Perhaps because he is so handsome in this showy outfit, he has less need to attract the ladies with material objects. His bower is a rather casual structure, painted yellow and sparsely decorated with a few scattered ornaments, while the surrounding area is not landscaped. Bowers are very difficult to find because they blend in with the tangles of ferns and vines on the rainforest floor.
When a female approaches the bower, the male is prepared to show off his most stunning asset, himself! He prances about the bower, thrusting his head forward to show off his orange cap, fanning his tail and spreading his wings to display his bright colors. He churs, chatters and wheezes. If the female approves (and who wouldn't?), she will mate with him in the bower, or in the clearing, or in any number of other clearings the male has throughout the forest for impromptu situations.
A passion for things blue
Living in the same rainforests as the Regent Bowerbird is the Satin Bowerbird Ptilinorhynchus violaceus. A male Satin's bower is easily found, and my husband has spent many hours happily sitting and photographing this bird while it goes about the business of living, and hopefully loving. He is larger than the Regent, about 30 cm in length, and his plumage is a deep blue-black, reflecting a shimmering violet hue when sunlight catches the feathers. His bower sits on an allotment of about a square meter, and is landscaped with yellow leaves and grass, snail shells and cicada shells. The bower walls are painted berry blue, and a selection of esteemed wares are strewn about the bower floor.
The bowers run north to south, the north entrance being the main gallery of this dynamic museum, where the sun can show off the valuable collection in its best light. The theme is bright China-blue, and as many as three hundred objets d'art may be found: blue flowers, blue berries, blue feathers, blue clothes pegs, blue bottle caps, blue straws, anything in the right fetching shade of blue, may be included in the collection. Each treasure must be displayed just so. A male may pick up an object, run about with it posturing and bobbing all the while, and then return it to its original spot. Place something red in this gallery, and the outraged male will quickly spot it and throw it out.
The more blue paraphernalia he has, the more females he will attract. Theft is rampant, with males stealing from each other or even vandalizing a rival's bower. A single blue object may make its way from bower to bower, perhaps finally ending up back with the original owner.
Life is not so easy for the male Satin Bowerbird. He must build and maintain the walls of his bower, while at the same time defending it from other males. He must keep up the painting, and continually think of optimum arrangements for his treasures. When he goes off on a collecting trip, he may return to find he has been robbed, sometimes catching the thief in the act and having to chase him off.
All this is directed to the time when a lady may drop in to check over his assets. The male then will pick up a few treasures, casually showing them off like a man cruising down the street with black sunglasses and a red Porche! But then he loses his cool, and calls out in a staccato machine-gun like hissing. He bounds about the bower, picking up objects to show off, bulging his violet-blue eyes at the lady, raising the tail, flinging his wings, and generally working himself into a rather hysterical frenzy.
Once the female has been lured into this bower, the male may become so overwhelmed that in the heat of the moment he will damage the bower walls. However, repairs are for later, and he knows enough to seize the moment. If a female's reaction is to fly off, the bewildered male will consider the perplexing reasons for rejection and concluding that it must have been his decorating, he will set about some spring cleaning.
Not a liberated female
While male bowerbirds are ready to mate with any female at any time during the several months of the breeding season, the female is interested for only a few weeks. She must await suitable weather and be in an area with an abundance of food for the rearing of the chicks. Then she must select the right mate from amongst all those that are seeking her favors. She alone builds a nest to raise her two to three chicks in the role of single mother. While this may not be in accord with modern concepts of women's rights, it must be remembered that the male is responsible for maintaining and defending the bower during four to nine months of the year. Also he faces the humiliation of rejection on a daily basis.
When I was single (not all that many years ago), I do not recall potential suitors that were willing to go to so much trouble to court me. Nor do I know any other women who have encountered such amorous attentions! Male bowerbirds are endearing in their efforts to attract the less than fairer of their species. No one knows just exactly why these birds build bowers, but if you do have a chance to observe one, sit down and stay a while. You will see a show that will delight you, and you too will become an admirer of these builders in the bush.

THE END