Bowerbirds

Bowerbirds are a family of passerine birds (Ptilonorhynchidae) native to Australia and New Guinea, comprising around 20 species. They are best known for the elaborate structures—bowers—that males build and decorate to attract mates. Bowers are not nests; females alone build the nest and raise the young after mating.

Male bowerbirds construct two main types of bowers: avenue bowers, formed of two parallel walls of sticks, and maypole bowers, built around a sapling with a surrounding platform. Males collect and arrange a variety of objects—stones, shells, flowers, feathers and man-made items—often favoring particular colors (for example, blue in satin bowerbirds). Decoration, display behavior, vocalizations and mimicry play central roles in courtship. Female choice drives much of the complexity seen in bower design and ornamentation, making bowerbirds a key study system for sexual selection and animal aesthetics.

Adult plumage varies by species; some males display iridescent or vivid coloration while females and juveniles tend to be cryptically colored. Diets are primarily frugivorous, supplemented by insects and other small animals. Bowerbird behavior ranges from solitary to lek-like aggregations, depending on species.

Conservation status varies: several species remain common, while others are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. Their unique behaviors and ecological roles have made them subjects of ongoing ecological and behavioral research.