Australia birds

I will get to the woodworking. But first…

Look – seems like just another instance of people ruining the planet, strewing trash all over, doesn’t it? Fooled you – (some of you, anyway) this is an intentional collection, assembled by a Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus).

I still can’t believe I got to see the Satin Bowerbird at his bower. Thanks to Paul Boyer and Rachel Clarke for hosting me, while I sat in the blind they made so I could watch this. I first learned of this bird through the web, somehow saw video of his display and creations. It’s pretty far out.

Satin bowerbird male

Here is the bower – a structure made of grasses and foliage, in this case, from the native cherry tree Exocarpos cupressiformus. The bower is a viewing platform for the female bower bird to use when the male is ready to strut his stuff. He has made this clearing in the first place, then built the bower, and gathered the goods. 

Satin bowerbird’s bower

While I was there, the female was around but she did not come down for the show.

Satin bowerbird, female

So mostly the male flitted in and out, and did some housekeeping. He had collected a variety of blue items to display outside the bower. The morning I was watching, he kept refining the arrangement – moving things here and there, and going in and out of the bower to tweak it just so.

Satin bowerbird bringing a feather

Here he’s got a blue feather to add to the pile. Then he was bringing yellow flowers and adding them alongside the blue plastic and feathers. I read that older males focus more strictly on blue items.

with a yellow flower

I would have loved to have seen the display/dance, when the female stands inside the bower, and the male dances around, carrying blue items in his bill. Who could resist?