the satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) is a bowerbird endemic to eastern australia .

a rare natural intergeneric hybrid between the satin bowerbird and the regent bowerbird is known as rawnsley 's bowerbird .

satin bowerbird

satin bowerbird <EOT> lateral view of a female satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of y . english )

satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) occurrence records from continental australia suitable for species distribution modelling .

a brightly coloured male satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus newtoniana ) stands in front of his bower , while a less colourful female watches him . satin bowerbirds are endemic to eastern australia .

male satin bowerbird moulting into breeding plumage ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ katoomba , nsw , january 2014 ]

female satin bowerbird hollowing out an apple ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ tenterfield , nsw , february 2013 ]

the scientific name of the satin bowerbird is ptilonorhynchus violaceus and it is from the family ptilonorhynchidae , the family of bowerbirds .

attractive without being showy , the satin bowerbird gets its name from the sheen on the male’s smart , blue - black plumage .

close - up portrait of a female satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ tenterfield , nsw , february 2013 ]

lateral view of a fledgling satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ st . albans , nsw , december 2013 ]

adventurous satin bowerbird chick outside its nest ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ st . albans , nsw , december 2017 ]

xc201468 this first sample features typical whistles , buzzes and squelches from a satin bowerbird . recorded in wollemi national park , new south wales .

description : the satin bowerbird is probably the best known species of this family . the male’s displays around the bower are an amazing spectacle .

female satin bowerbird in flight , displaying its underwing pattern ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ tenterfield , nsw , february 2013 ]

lateral view of an immature satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ mt . tamborine , qld , december 2013 ]

female satin bowerbird feeding a dependent young ( photo courtesy of r . plumtree ) [ ensay south , east gippsland , vic , march 2017 ]

dorsal view of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , june 2017 ]

female satin bowerbird on its nest ( photo courtesy of l . scott ) [ roseberry creek valley , near toonumbar np , northern nsw , january 2017 ]

female satin bowerbird on its nest ( photo courtesy of l . scott ) [ roseberry creek valley , near toonumbar np , northern nsw , december 2017 ]

richly adorned bower of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , june 2017 ]

the satin bowerbird’s elaborate “bower” is overshadowed by the vogelkop gardener bowerbird of new guinea , which builds an astonishing courting place — a “hut” up to 5′ wide with a moss “front garden” on whic he arranges flowers and fruits . macgregor’s bowerbird builds a 2′ - high twig “maypole” ringed by a circular “dance floor . ”

view image of regent bowerbird ( credit : david tipling / naturepl . com )

view image of great bowerbird ( credit : tim laman / naturepl . com )

vanderwal , j . ( 2013 ) . satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) - current and future species distribution models . centre for tropical biodiversity & climate change , james cook university . [ data files ] urltoken bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) / suitability

a male satin bowerbird only develops his wonderful satiny sheen after seven years . up until this time , the males possess the same plumage and colouring as the females .

flight : the satin bowerbird flies rapidly from tree to tree . when flying in flocks , they fly clearly above treetops with the typical flap - glide undulating flight .

fronal view of a female satin bowerbird bringing food for her fledgling chick ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ st . albans , nsw , december 2013 ]

frontal view of a male satin bowerbird in its bower ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , june 2017 ]

vanderwal , j . ( 2013 ) . satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) - occurrence records filtered for species distribution modelling . centre for tropical biodiversity & climate change , james cook university . [ data files ] urltoken bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) / occurrences

view image of great bowerbird bower ( credit : tim laman / naturepl . com )

a male bowerbird , notice the piercing blue eyes and black plumage . image : wiki

female satin bowerbird collecting nesting material , probably for lining the nest ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ mt . tamborine , qld , december 2013 ]

this female satin bowerbird has developed a taste for commercial budgerigar seed mix ( photo courtesy of k . davison ) [ glen iris , melbourne , vic , may 2013 ]

awc protects populations of satin bowerbirds at mount zero - taravale , brooklyn and curramore .

frontal view of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ o ' reilly ' s plateau , gold coast , qld , november 2013 ]

close - up near - lateral view of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , october 2015 ]

close - up near - frontal view of a female satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , october 2015 ]

close - up near - frontal view of a female satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of m . eaton ) [ queen mary falls , near killarney , qld , june 2017 ]

view image of bower of vogelkop bowerbird ( credit : tim laman / naturepl . com )

a male satin bowerbird needs a swanky pad to land the perfect mate . he ' ll bribe her with many a trinket . . . will a ring finally seal the deal ?

vellenga re ( 1980 ) distribution of bowers of the satin bowerbird at leura , nsw , with notes on parental care , development and independence of the young . emu 80 : 97–102

satin bowerbirds are found along most of the eastern and south - eastern coast of australia .

satin bowerbirds are found within wet sclerophyll forests and rainforests along the eastern coast of australia .

diet : the satin bowerbird feeds primarily on fruits , flowers , leaves , seeds , nectar , and takes insects during the breeding season . they feed by gleaning and sallying for invertebrates .

near - frontal view of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ o ' reilly ' s plateau , gold coast , qld , november 2013 ]

close - up lateral portrait of a male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of r . plumtree ) [ old gap road , swifts creek north , east gippsland , vic , october 2017 ]

the satin bowerbird lives in rainforests and the edges of drier forests on the coast and adjacent ranges of eastern australia . it is found from cooktown in queensland to near melbourne , in victoria .

full - frontal view of an adult male satin bowerbird ( photo courtesy of a . ross - taylor ) [ o ' reilly ' s plateau , gold coast , qld , november 2013 ]

female satin bowerbird , left , with food ( possibly a piece of an apple ) for a dependent juvenile ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ tenterfield , nsw , february 2013 ]

the satin bowerbird is mainly resident in its range . the birds of woodlands may move into more open habitats and form flocks during winter . some local seasonal movements to lower altitudes are observed too .

the satin bowerbird is fairly common in most of its range . chief threats to its future are forest clearance and shooting by fruit growers , which has led to the extermination in some localized areas .

close - up near - frontal view of a female satin bowerbird ; note the characteristic dark bill ( photo courtesy of r . plumtree ) [ south ensay , east gippsland , vic , april 2014 ]

protection / threats / statuts : the satin bowerbird is relatively common in remained habitat , but it is vulnerable to habitat loss with deforestation and fragmentation of forests . however , this species is not currently threatened .

the plumage of a mature seven year old male satin bowerbird is a deep blue - black colour , while females and younger males have a colour combination of olive - green and brown , patterned with cream .

we have not seen a satin bowerbird where we live , at eulah creek , 20 km east of narrabri , nsw , but some locals who have lived in the area for a long time report having seen satin bowerbirds , including males with bowers , in the eulah creek and bullawa creek area in the past .

a male satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) puts on a display next to his bower . he collects brightly coloured objects to adorn his display arena , using them to catch the attention of passing females . australia .

dorsal view of a female satin bowerbird in bad light on a rainy day ; this bird was seen taking the seeds of a birch ( photo courtesy of r . druce ) [ tenterfield , nsw , february 2013 ]

view image of golden - fronted or yellow - fronted bowerbird ( credit : tim laman / naturepl . com )

both male and female satin bowerbirds have bright lilac - blue eyes , but here the similarities end . the mature male satin bowerbird is about 30 centimetres long , and his plumage is black with a glossy purple - blue sheen . until he moults into this plumage during his seventh year , his plumage resembles that of the female .

" the best males will have it all , " said coleman , who conducted a three - year satin bowerbird study in the australian bush . the top male bowerbirds have what might be called artistic talent and vigorous courtship routines .

a female satin bowerbird typically lays one to three eggs each year , of a brown to cream colour with dark markings , in a nest that it builds in trees ; and the eggs and young are cared for by the female .

the male great bowerbird builds an elaborate bower and uses false perspective illusions to improve his mating success . photograph : laura kelley

donaghey rh ( 1981 ) the ecology and evolution of bowerbird mating systems . phd dissertation , monash university , victoria , australia

satin bowerbirds can interbreed with regent bowerbirds . the offspring of such pairs are called " rawnsley ' s bowerbirds " .

the satin bowerbird male attracts a female partner through its bower and colourful objects , as well as a special ‘dance’ it performs , and younger females are more attracted to bower aesthetics , while older females favour a better dance performance when determining their mate .

r . druce reports spotting satin bowerbirds , race " violaceus " , in tenterfield , northern nsw , in february 2013 .

this dataset consists of current and future species distribution models generated using 4 representative concentration pathways ( rcps ) carbon emission scenarios , 18 global climate models ( gcms ) , and 8 time steps between 2015 and 2085 , for satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) .

great bowerbird ( chlamydera nuchalis ) male performing a peripheral display around his bower while holding a red plastic cap . queensland , australia .

bowerbirds are very closely related to birds of paradise , and species of bowerbird are found in many parts of australia and new guinea .

satin bowerbirds can imitate the calls of other birds , and they also make sounds that resemble hisses , whistles , and buzzes .

male satin bowerbirds festoon the front terraces of their bowers with shiny or colored objects , preferring those of a vivid blue hue .

habitat : the satin bowerbird frequents humid forests and woodlands and their edges . it is also found in nearby open areas . during winter , flocks frequent open habitats such as parks , gardens and orchards . the bower sites are usually dispersed through suitable rainforest and woodlands .

the bowerbirds are among the most fascinating birds in the world . some are spectacular , such as the male regent bowerbird ( left ) of eastern australia whose colors are shocking in the deep wet forest . australia is home to six species of " avenue - builders . " these " avenues " are rows of sticks imbedded in the earth between a narrow passageway . colorful objects are placed at either end to attract females to and then into the gallery . many males " paint " the inside walls with plant juice to add color . representatives are satin bowerbird ( male in his bower . large photo below ) and great bowerbird ( male just below , left , and his bower , just below , right ) . satin bowerbird prefers humid climes and just loves the color blue ( even a blue bottle - cap or toothbrush ! ) while great bowerbird lives in the dry rain - shadow west of the atherton tablelands and prefers white and orange .

the satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) is a chunky , medium - sized bird found in forests along the east coast of australia . adult male satin bowerbirds have a stunning , shiny deep - blue plumage which can appear plain black at first glance . females and immature males are predominantly ashy green and olive on the upperbody and scalloped green and buff underneath . both sexes have striking violet - coloured eyes .

satin bowerbirds prefer the wetter forests and woodlands , and nearby open areas , although those around the atherton tableland are largely rainforest inhabitants .

• the bowerbird family has 18 species in new guinea and australia , but not all build bowers . four species known as catbirds , because of their catlike calls , form a stable pair bond ; the other 14 species don’t . bowerbirds lack the splendid plumes of closely related birds of paradise , but some , like the male i regent bowerbird , are boldly colored . macgregor’s bowerbird ehas dun plumage and a flame - orange crest .

this dataset includes observations of satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) that are sourced from the atlas of living australia ( ala ) database . rather than raw observations , these have been filtered such that they are assumed to be suitable for species distribution modelling exercises . the cleaning process included :

k . davison reports sighting satin bowerbirds , race " violaceus " , in glen iris , suburban melbourne , vic , in may 2013 .

the same two satin bowerbirds as shown above ( photo courtesy of b . hensen ) [ st . albans , nsw , december 2013 ]

vogelkop bowerbird is a member of the " gardener bowerbird " group , which includes the " maypole " building amblyornis and the " mat " building archboldia , restricted to high mountains of new guinea . all are generally plain birds although some have exotic erectible head plumes . the photo ( right , by will betz ) shows a netted macgregor ' s bowerbird high the cloud forests of new guinea , where it was banded and released . the sometimes concealed orange crown feathers as shown nicely here . some great photos of a displaying macgregor ' s bowerbird are in coates ( 1990 ) .

the male bowerbird builds a bower from twigs that it finds on the ground and tries to lure the female into its lair with its wooing display .

frontal view of a male satin bowerbirds with a fruit ( photo courtesy of r . plumtree ) [ near kyogle , nsw , july 2013 ]

the bowerbird feeds mainly on a wide variety of fruits and berries , but will also snap up any insects that it finds , including beetles , moths and termites . the chicks , which need a high - protein diet for their rapid development , are fed chiefly on insects . the bowerbird forages mainly in the forests where it breeds . outside the nesting season , birds flock up to a hundred and search for figs and other fruit . when fruit is scarce , the bowerbird normally resorts to a diet of buds , flowers and even leaves . insect additives the bowerbird searches for grubs on the forest floor .

a male satin bowerbird constructs a display structure , known as a ‘bower’ , that it builds with sticks on the ground , and it has two sides facing each other with a pathway through the middle , and while it is often thought of as a nest , it is never used for this purpose .

satin bowerbirds make a variety of calls including mechanical churring and buzzing , harsh grating calls , and loud descending whistles . listen to some examples below :

b . hensen reports spotting satin bowerbirds , race " violaceus " , at st . albans , nsw , e . g . in december 2013 .

satin bowerbirds have blue eyes , and the mature males have a creamy yellow to green coloured beak , while the females have a dark coloured one .

decorating a bower doesn’t end at displaying objects . some satin bowerbirds mix plant material with saliva to make a “paint” they spread over their bower walls .

many birds have spectacular courting displays , but only the bowerbird builds and decorates an elaborate bower that serves as a dance hall and shop window for his trinkets .

like other members of the bowerbird family , satin bowerbirds exhibit complex courtship behaviour . this species builds an avenue - type bower and decorates it with carefully selected ornaments , preferring items which are blue or yellow . in bowers near human habitation , blue plastic straws and plastic bottle lids are often the most common decorations .

the ‘lek’ mating system drives rapid sexual selection in bowerbirds and other species with similar breeding behaviour , such as the birds of paradise . these species typically evolve elaborate plumage and courtship behaviours , as the most ‘persuasive’ males end up fathering most of the young . the satin bowerbird displays both striking plumage and elabourate courtship rituals .

when courting , the male satin bowerbird prances and struts around his bower . he offers the female items from his collection of blue objects , while making a series of hissing , chattering and scolding noises . mating takes place in the avenue of the bower , and the male may mate with several females in a single season .

when courting , the male regent bowerbird fans his tail and spreads his wings . he sometimes beats his wings to display their brilliant colours while churring , chattering and wheezing .

satin bowerbirds have an amazing variety of sounds , including whistles , buzzing and hissing , as well as mimicry . the male also gives a loud " weeoo " .

satin bowerbirds are vulnerable to predation from feral cats and foxes because their bowers are constructed on the ground . large parts of their habitat have been lost to clearing .

l . scott reports finding satin bowerbirds , race " violaceus " , breeding in the roseberry creek valley , near toonumbar np , northern nsw , in january 2017 .

satin bowerbirds are a species of bird , native to the eastern states of australia , and they are typically found in forest habitats , especially wet or rainforest areas .

a great bowerbird ( chlamydera nuchalis ) bower decorated with unusual and colourful objects such as green glass , a plastic toy elephant and even a toy soldier . queensland , australia .

a male satin bowerbird performs his courtship display and mating dance for a female around his well - decorated bower . the bower was built beneath some scrub just a few metres from a camp site in the ettrema wilderness region of morton national park , nsw , australia . filmed 20 / 12 / 2016 . check out more of my photography : urltoken

the satin bowerbird may forage alone or in family groups , and even with other fruit - eater birds . at food sources , the younger birds are dominated by adult males . during the breeding season , the male feeds mainly on insects in close vicinity of its bower . during winter , they feed in large flocks of up to 200 birds , taking mainly plant matter .

behaviour : the satin bowerbird feeds mainly on plant matter such as fruits , flowers , leaves , seeds and nectar . during the breeding season , numerous insects are added to this vegetal diet . this species forages and feeds at all levels , and fruits are often taken in canopy , 18 - 20 metres or more above the ground . insects are caught by gleaning and sallying .

b05h12m02s this recording is the display song of an adult male satin bowerbird at the bower . normally this fast , repetitive , mechanical call is preceded by a long series of strange squeaky notes and churring calls ( as in the following example ) , but the main part of the song was extracted so it could be highlighted here . recorded in barren grounds nature reserve , new south wales .

in contrast , spectacular plumages are shown by color - soaked males in some of the " avenue - builders . " perhaps the brightest bowerbird is the bright orange flame bowerbird sericulus aureus of mid - elevations in new guinea ; missing it was one of the bigger disappointments on an otherwise productive trip to irian jaya in 1994 [ wonderful photos of the male and his bower are in coates 1990 ] .

satin bowerbirds feed mostly on fruits throughout the year . during summer ( breeding ) the diet is supplemented with a large number of insects , while leaves are often eaten during the winter months .

a male orange flame bowerbird ( sericulus aureus ) , whilst performing his dance , produces wheezing calls from his throat and pulses his pupil size in an effort to seduce a female . papua new guinea .

r . plumtree has found satin bowerbirds , race " violaceus " , near kyogle , northern nsw , in july 2013 . they are also spotted occasionally around ensay south , east gippsland , vic .

various contributors report spotting satin bowerbirds , race " violaceus " , regularly at o ' reilly ' s plateau , lamington np , gold coast , qld and in other locations in south - eastern qld .

satin bowerbirds generally reach a height of 27 to 33 centimetres ( 10 . 6 to 13 inches ) , and their diet consists primarily of fruit , and they also eat seeds , leaves and insects .

a male golden - fronted bowerbird ( amblyornis flavifrons ) will decorate his bower with coloured fruit , hoping to attract a mate . they were first photographed in 2005 and are endemic to the foja mountains , indonesia .

frith , c . & frith , d . ( 2018 ) . satin bowerbird ( ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .

satin bowerbirds feed mostly on the fruits of rainforest plants such as lilly - pillies ( syzygium species ) throughout the year . during summer , which is the breeding season , their diet is supplemented with insects .

female satin bowerbirds feeding in grassland ; the bird on the left is displaying its dorsal plumage in flight ( photo courtesy of r . plumtree ) [ ensay south , east gippsland , vic , august 2012 ]

endemic to australia and new zealand , the satin bowerbird is considered one of the most intelligent birds found in nature . mature males are very easy to spot because of their bright blue eyes , while their bodies are uniformly covered in black , although sometimes light diffraction makes the bird’s feathers turn almost into a metallic sheen . what sets these birds apart is their remarkable courtship ritual , and the male’s seemingly obsessive fixation for blue .

voice : sounds by xeno - canto the satin bowerbird has wide repertoire of sounds such as whistles , buzzing and hissing . it may perform mimicry of both avian and human - made sounds . the advertising song of the male is a clearly whistled “quoo - eeeew” , and we can also ear a loud “weeoo” . the female at nest sometimes mimics the calls of potential predators . outside the breeding season , flocks are vocally noisy .

. . . that bower sites persist for years and are therefore traditional is established for several bowerbirds : satin bowerbird bowers persisted at one site for up to 30 years ( vellenga 1980 ) ; spotted chlamydera maculata and great bowerbirds c . nuchalis > 13 years ( frith et al . 1996b ) . golden bowerbirds are no exception , with 84 % of traditional bower sites ( n = 25 ) persisting for 20 seasons . . . .

the satin bowerbird is probably the best known of all australian bowerbirds , as it occurs along the densely settled east coast . males construct an intricate and carefully decorated bower to use as a courtship arena during the breeding season . the bower is an arching structure built on the ground out of interlaced sticks , decorated with blue and / or interesting objects : parrot feathers , flowers and brown snail shells in nature ; clothes pegs , drinking straws and bottle tops around human habitation .

the male satin bowerbird spends most of his life looking after his bowers and the ' treasures ' he has brought there . if something bad happens — for example , an australian brushturkey walks right across the threshold — he will berate the intruder until it leaves ( right ) , then hop down to discard ' junk ' such as a scrubturkey feather mistakenly left there ( below left ) , and then go to work to strengthen the ' avenue ' ( below right ) .

large numbers of satin bowerbirds , race " violaceus " , were seen in july 2009 at dandabah , bunya mountains np , qld . this loaction is on the western edge of , if not outside , the species ' general range .

immature or female satin bowerbirds can resemble green catbirds , but are distinguished by a blue eye , a darker bill and a more scalloped patterning on the underbody . they also tend to be more olive - green rather than a bright green .

the head , back and flight feathers of the male regent bowerbird are coloured in a rich golden - yellow , with the remainder of the bird being black with a purple sheen . its forehead is sometimes tinted crimson , and it has bright yellow eyes .

on the arrival of a female , the male satin bowerbird leaps into a ritualised display of exaggerated movements , such as strutting and bowing , with wings outstretched and quivering , and accompanied by a variety of mechanical - sounding calls , such as buzzing and rattling interspersed with mimicry . one of the bower decorations is usually carried in the male ' s bill . if impressed , the female moves into the bower avenue for mating and then leaves to perform the nesting duties on her own , while the male readies himself for courting more prospective females .

the male peacock is well known for its courtship displays , during which it fans its colourful tail feathers to attract a mate . but not all birds are so spectacular , and males of other species employ different means . male bowerbirds use their intelligence to impress the females , constructing elaborate structures called bowers to attract mates . they are not on master builders , but also accomplished artists . males of some species decorate their bowers lavishly with flower petals and sparkly manmade objects . the satin bowerbird even paints the walls of his bower with charcoal or chewed up berries .

the cone - shaped bower of a vogelkop bowerbird ( amblyornis inornata ) can reach a metre high , with a one and a half metre diameter . this bower has its entrance , or lawn , decorated with bright flowers . they are named after the vogelkop peninsula in western new guinea , indonesia .

the green catbird , another member of the bowerbird family , gets its name from its cat - like wailing call . males and females are various shades of green , flecked with black on the head and face ; and white on the nape , neck and wing tips . their eyes are red .

satin bowerbirds are medium - sized birds reaching 27 – 33 cm in length . adult males have glossy blue - black plumage and a violet - blue iris . this plumage is likely to be particularly impressive in ultraviolet , which birds can perceive . young males resemble females with olive - green plumage above , off - white feathers with dark scalloping below , brown wings and tail . satin bowerbirds have an amazing variety of calls including whistles , buzzes and hisses ; they are mimics and imitate the sounds of other birds . males also have a loud descending " weeoo " call .

irestedt , m . , h . batalha - filho , c . s . roselaar , l . christidis , and p . g . p . ericson . 2015 . contrasting phylogeographic signatures in two australo - papuan bowerbird species complexes ( aves : ailuroedus ) , zool . scripta 45 : 365 - 379

male satin bowerbirds often ‘paint’ the inside of their bower , often with a mix of saliva and plant material ; and they are notable for collecting objects , generally of a blue colour , though yellow or metallic coloured objects may also be gathered , to place in and around their bower as decoration .

we have spotted satin bowerbirds , race " violaceus " , in various locations on the eastern slopes of the great dividing range in nsw , such as e . g . dorrigo np , nsw . also seen in bald rock np and also in littoral rainforest , e . g . at iluka nr .

a new study finds that a young , inexperienced , female bowerbird judges a male by the manner in which he decorates his bachelor pad . once she ' s aged and mated a few times , this affinity for a swanky domicile fades , and she then relies on courtship routinea vigorous song and danceto select the most worthy suitor .

lots of species will go all out to land a mate , but few courtship routines are as elaborate as that of the bowerbird . these birds craft nest - like structures , known as bowers , and decorate them with attention - getting items . females tour many of these local bowers , assessing both structure and suitor before selecting a mate .

the mature male satin bowerbirds are mostly solitary , but the ' green ' birds are often seen in groups or quite large flocks . in winter ( outside of the breeding season ) , birds move to more open country , and occasionally enter orchards . at this time , mature males may join the ' green ' bird flocks .

when not foraging for food , the male bowerbird is mostly busy building intricate mating grounds called ‘bowers’ out of twings , berries , flowers and feathers . it then decorates the bower with saliva , charcol and any objects it can find . if it’s around humans , the bowerbird will often steal anything blue to make his love avenue . typically , blue plastic caps , straws or clothing get collected by the male , then stitched together in a pattern that only the bird seems to know . it’s worth mentioning that only dominant males build bowers , and sometimes other males in the vicinity might drop by and look after the bower like a caretaker . they may not use it though for conjugal affairs .

during autumn and winter , satin bowerbirds leave their forest habitat and move into open woodlands to forage for fruit , leaves and insects . however , with the arrival of the spring breeding season they collect together in small groups , inhabiting territories which they apparently occupy year after year . each mature male bird protects and tends his own bower throughout the year .

satin bowerbirds are medium - sized bowerbirds . their plumage is dimorphic , i . e . males and females are different . male satin bowerbirds are all glossy blue - black . the eyes have blue to purple irises ; the almost straight bill is yellowish , with a bluish base . the legs and feet are the colour of skin . female satin bowerbirds have a highly crypic plumage . the front is light - green and buff , with copious dark - brown scalloping . the ear coverts and lores are rufous , with darker streaking . the frons and crown are dark - brown with a light - green tinge . the back , i . e . mantle , shoulders and rump , is light - green to turquoise , with faint brown scalloping . the flight feathers and tail are brown . females have eyes with blue irises similar to those of the males , but they have a dark - grey bill and grey legs and feet . juveniles and immature birds resemble females until the fourth year . immature males take another 3 years moulting gradually into their first adult plumage .

it is apparent that bowerbirds exist in a wide variety of habitats in australia and new guinea . in the hot , dry " red center " of australia lives western bowerbird ( male , below ) . the species builds " avenue " bowers . this male has come to eat fruit at a picnic table . it shows its lilac - colored nuchal crest in this photo , although the crest is not erected here .

. . . individually marked bower - owning male satin and tooth - billed bowerbirds have been known to occupy a particular court site for > 20 years ( vellenga 1980 ; marchant 1992 ; frith & frith 1995 ) . this kind of behaviour is thought to be unusual in that it appears to be based on male self - advertisement and not defence of resources required by females ( emlen & oring 1977 ) . . . .

northeast australia has another species with lovely plumage : golden bowerbird ( left in a fine shot by murray lord ) . the male builds a " double maypole " and is an odd offshoot of the papuan " gardeners . " males build these bowers to attract and mate with as many females as they can . they spent 9 - 10 months of the year constantly working on , improving , and rearranging their creations — or stealing jewels from nearby bowers .

chicks of satin bowerbirds start to moult from natal down in the nest in december and january . their first - year plumage is achieved through the post - juvenile moult in the first three months of the year . the second - year plumage is achieved through the first annual moult , starting about july agd being completed by early in the next year . thereafter annual moults take place from november to march . . . [ show full abstract ]

when his satisfied with his bower and females are nearby , the blue - eyed male praces and struts around his avenue . he then tries to woo the female by offering her all sorts of objects , all while making weird hissing , chattering noises . this incredible national geographic program embedded below shows for instance a male bowerbird courting a female using a blue ring , most likely from some plastic bottle . if the female is pleased , she will mate with the male in the bower .

exactly why a better illusion improves a male great bowerbird ' s mating success is not fully clear . apart from making its builder appear bigger and stronger , an effective forced perspective illusion may be an indicator of the male ' s intellectual prowess and , therefore , his ability to find food for his mate and their offspring . the more time a female spends in a bower , the more likely she is to mate with its builder , so alternatively the illusion may increase the male ' s chances of mating by holding her attention for longer periods of time .

plan… the bower is aligned north - south , possibly to give the best , dazzle - free views from either end in early morning . build… the bird takes two days to build the 5″ - wide avenue of his bower , formed between two 12″ - high , inw arching walls made from twigs . decorate… the bird constantly adds and rearranges feathers , flowers and man - made objects — usually blue to match his own color . paint the bowerbird finishes the walls of the bower by painting them with berry juice or a dark paste he makes from bushfire charcoal .

. . . even among the avenue building species , one male bowerbird carried about 2 , 0005 , 000 sticks to a bower ( frith & frith 2004 ) . to date most behavioural studies of bowerbirds have investigated the relationship between mating success and the characteristics of bowers and decorations ( vellenga 1970 , 1980 , borgia 1985 , 1995a , 1995b , borgia & mueller 1992 , doucet & montgomerie 2003 , madden 2003 . however , bowers and display courts provide a stage for male behavioural displays that include plumage , acoustical and locomotive elements , directed at a female during courtship . . . .

satin bowerbirds are medium - sized birds . the adult male has striking glossy blue - black plumage , a pale bluish white bill and a violet - blue iris . younger males and females are similar in colour to each other , and are collectively referred to as ' green ' birds . they are olive - green above , off - white with dark scalloping below and have brown wings and tail . the bill is browner in colour . young males may begin to acquire their adult plumage in their fifth year and are not fully ' attired ' until they are seven .

satin bowerbirds are endemic to australia . they are found along the east and south - east coast of the australian continent . the range of nominate race " violaceus " extends from near melbourne , vic , along the south and east coast and the great dividing range , through all of nsw . to the north of the clarence river in northern nsw , they are not found on the coast , but only the eastern slopes of the ranges , up to just south of rockhampton , qld . race " minor " is found on the tablelands around cairns , qld , from about daintree np to wooroonooran np .

a bower bird builds his “bachelor pad . ” overall , there are 17 kinds of bower birds in australia and on the neighboring island of new guinea . some are known as catbirds , while others are called “gardeners” or “stagemakers . ” each builds its own shape of bower and prefers a different decorating scheme . a few , for instance , surround their bowers with carefully planted lawns of moss . others have been known to steal shiny coins , spoons , bits of aluminum foil — even a glass eye — in an effort to create the perfect romantic mood . some , like the iridescent blue satin bower bird , the star of

male satin bowerbirds tend their bowers throughout the breeding season . a number of bowers are usually found in one area ( a ‘lek’ ) , such that females can readily evaluate the quality of competing males . when a female approaches a bower , the male will leap into a ritualised display of exaggerated movements , strutting and bowing with wings outstretched and quivering , accompanied by a variety of mechanical - sounding calls , buzzing and rattling interspersed with mimicry , while carrying one of the bower’s decorations in his bill . if suitably impressed , the female moves into the bower avenue to mate . females perform the nesting duties on their own while males devote their time to courting prospective partners .

, even “paint” the walls of their structures with chewed berries or charcoal . for the male satin , which builds a u - shaped bower from parallel walls of twigs , the favored color is blue . to decorate its “avenue , ” as scientists call it , he collects blue feathers , berries , shells , and flowers . while some of these decorations are found in the forest , others are stolen from the bowers of other males ; young males , in particular , are prone to this petty thievery . however obtained , the precious knickknacks are then scattered around the bower . the male then waits , passing time by constantly fine - tuning his structure and rearranging the decorations . for many males , the effort will be mostly futile . a younger male , for instance , may be able to seduce only a single one of his dozens of visitors — or none at all . indeed , many males get not even a single glance : in a recent study , 75 percent of female birds visited only one bower before mating . in contrast , older males often have potential mates constantly stopping by for a peek . these more experienced suitors may mate with dozens of different females in a single breeding season .

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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .

christidis , l . and boles , w . e . 2008 . systematics and taxonomy of australian birds . csiro publishing , collingwood , australia .

justification : this species has a very large range , and hence does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the range size criterion ( extent of occurrence < 20 , 000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size , habitat extent / quality , or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation ) . the population trend appears to be stable , and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population trend criterion ( > 30 % decline over ten years or three generations ) . the population size has not been quantified , but it is not believed to approach the thresholds for vulnerable under the population size criterion ( < 10 , 000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be > 10 % in ten years or three generations , or with a specified population structure ) . for these reasons the species is evaluated as least concern .

the global population size has not been quantified , but the species is reported to be locally fairly common ( flegg and madge 1995 ) . trend justification : this population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats .

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the female places a loose nest of sticks in a tree or bush , up to 30 m – 35 m above the ground .

pizzey , g . and knight , f . 1997 . field guide to the birds of australia . angus and robertson , sydney .

schodde , r . and tideman , s . c . ( eds ) 1990 . reader ' s digest complete book of australian birds ( 2nd edition ) . reader ' s digest ( australia ) pty ltd , sydney .

strahan , r . ( ed ) 1996 . finches , bowerbirds and other passerines of australia . angus and robertson and the national photographic index of australian wildlife , sydney .

simpson , k and day , n . 1999 . field guide to the birds of australia , 6th edition . penguin books , australia .

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this australian songbird lives to lure females to his bower , an avenue of sticks built with one purpose in mind—mating .

but no self - respecting female is going to set foot in this bare bones bachelor pad .

but for this female , a ring seals the deal . . . at least until the next girl comes along .

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in the forests of new guinea and australia are some very unusual birds . named after the elaborate structures , or bowers , built and decorated with colourful objects by the males , bowerbirds have one of the most unique courtship rituals in the animal kingdom .

male regent bowerbirds ( sericulus chrysocephalus ) decorate their bowers with blue / green saliva , sometimes ‘painting ' it on with leaves . queensland , australia .

two years ago , john endler of deakin university and his colleagues reported that the males use visual illusions when constructing their bowers . they do so by arranging the objects covering the floor of the court in a particular way , so that they increase in size as the distance from the bower increases . this positive size - distance gradient creates a forced perspective which results in false perceptions of the geometry of the bower , which is visible only to the female when she is standing in the avenue . from her point of view , all of the objects in the court appear to be the same size . consequently , she may perceive the court as being smaller than it actually is , and the male to be bigger .

endler and his colleagues manipulated the decorative objects in the bower to reverse the gradient , with the large objects placed closest to the bower and the smaller ones further away , and found that the birds re - arranged the objects to restore the original pattern . this happened very quickly – in all cases , the positive gradient was restored within three days and the pattern was almost identical to the original by two weeks . the researchers were unsure about the function of the illusion , but speculated that it is important for females ' selection of a mate . they have now tested this hypothesis , and their results have just been published in the journal science .

for the new study , endler and his colleague laura kelley observed the bowers built by 20 males in a eucalyptus wood on a queensland cattle ranch and monitored the birds ' mating behaviours using motion - sensitive digital video recorders . over a two - month period in late 2010 , they collected over 1 , 600 hours of footage , containing 129 courtship displays and 23 matings . they also took photographs of the bowers so that they could analyse the arrangement of the objects and the quality of the illusions they produced from the perspective of the females .

analysis of these data revealed that the geometry of the bower was directly related to the mating success of its builder . the most successful males were the ones that had arranged the objects to form the most regular patterns on the floor of the court . there was also a direct relationship between the regularity of the pattern formed by the objects in the court and the strength of the forced perspective illusion .

" better gradients produce more even patterns when seen from within the avenue , " says endler , adding that the males go to great lengths examining their work and rearranging objects to make the pattern as even as possible . " males spend most of their time on the bower going into the avenue and looking out , then moving objects , going back into the avenue , and so on . when in the avenue , they also sometimes fix the twigs in the walls , too . " the researchers still don ' t know if this results in an improvement of the illusion , however , but endler says they are now investigating this .

as well as making the court seem smaller , the illusion created by a regular pattern may make the male ' s displayed objects stand out more , because a regular background pattern is less distracting than an irregular one . kelley and endler also note that the displayed objects are slightly larger than the perceived size of the objects arranged on the floor of the court . this may produce another illusion of relative size perception , called the ebbinghaus illusion , whereby an object is perceived as larger when viewed next smaller ones , or smaller when next to larger ones .

during his courtship display , the male waves objects towards the female , causing their apparent size to increase . the researchers suggest that the ebbinghaus illusion could enhance the apparent size increase , making the display objects even more conspicuous to the female . they will be investigating this in the near future , says endler , by analysing the video footage to get more precise values of the relative and absolute size of the objects .

chickens , thrushes , pigeons and parrots have all been shown be sensitive to various illusions , and males of many species display themselves to females at a characteristic angle and distance . this suggests that the use of illusions might be widespread in birds . females of many bird species are know to prefer males with larger coloured patches on their bodies , and it is possible that the ebbingaus illusion could be used by males of those species to increase the apparent size of their patches . so , too , could the related wundt - jastrow illusion , in which an object appears smaller when its shorter edge is next to the longer edge of an object of the same size .

reference : kelley , l . a & endler , j . a . ( 2012 ) . illusions promote mating success in great bowerbirds . science , doi : 10 . 1126 / science . 12124

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