Hobbies And Interests
Sizes and Colors
The largest of the bowerbirds is the great bowerbird at 13 to 15 inches long. The male is brownish grey with a pink crest at the nape of its neck and with dark brown eyes. The satin bowerbird is an average length of 12 inches. The male has glossy bue-black plumage and blue eyes. The regent bowerbird is smaller and more slender at 11 inches. Its plumage is glossy jet black, with gold on its head, nape and wings. The bill and eyes are yellow. The western bowerbird, a medium-sized stocky bird, measures 10 to 11 inches and has brown plumage with a yellowish underbody. The smallest bowerbird is the golden bowerbird, measuring 8 to 9 inches long. It is a golden-olive brown color with golden yellow underparts, crown and nape.
Habitats and Diet
Most species of bowerbirds live in tropical rainforests. Others prefer mangrove swamps, moss forests, shrub lands, or open woodlands. The bowerbird's diet mainly consists of fruit, although several types supplement their diet with flowers, insects, nectar and leaves.
Courtship and Mating
Male bowerbirds exhibit a complex courting behavior in which they construct an elaborate structure called a bower designed to attract females. The male bowerbird performs a ritualistic dance and sings in front of the female as she arrives to inspect the bower, in the hopes of convincing her to enter the bower, where mating takes place. Females visit multiple bowers and comparison shop before deciding on the best mate. After mating, the female leaves and the male spends time repairing and redecorating his bower, continuing his quest to attract more females. Female bowerbirds build their nests from soft plant material and raise their young alone.
Bower Types
The bower plays an important role in attracting a mate. Depending upon the species, bowerbirds build three different types of bowers. Some build a U-shaped bower, or avenue, from parallel walls of twigs. Other bowerbirds build a maypole bower constructed of sticks placed aroung a sapling. The third type of bower is constructed of thick leaves laid on the forest floor to create a mat. Each of the three types of bowers is elaborately decorated with colorful objects from nature, including pebbles, shells, bones and feathers, and artificial objects made from glass, metal, plastic or paper.