I’ve posted a few images of bowerbirds in the past. There are several species. This is a male regent bowerbird. Females are more uniformly brown. Males also give bowerbirds their name, given rather sophisticated architectural skills when it comes to attracting a mate. According to Wikipedia, “regent bowerbirds are known to mix a muddy greyish blue or pea green ‘saliva paint’ in their mouths which they use to decorate their bowers. The male builds an avenue-type bower consisting of two walls of sticks, decorated with shells, seeds, leaves and berries. Regents will sometimes use wads of greenish leaves as ‘paintbrushes’ to help spread the substance, representing one of the few known instances of tools used by birds.” So that’s kind of cool. Photographed in Queensland, Australia. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens, ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/250th of a second.
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I’ve posted a few images of bowerbirds in the past. There are several species. This is a male regent bowerbird. Females are more uniformly brown. Males also give bowerbirds their name, given rather sophisticated architectural skills when it comes to attracting a mate. According to Wikipedia, “regent bowerbirds are known to mix a muddy greyish blue or pea green ‘saliva paint’ in their mouths which they use to decorate their bowers. The male builds an avenue-type bower consisting of two walls of sticks, decorated with shells, seeds, leaves and berries. Regents will sometimes use wads of greenish leaves as ‘paintbrushes’ to help spread the substance, representing one of the few known instances of tools used by birds.” So that’s kind of cool. Photographed in Queensland, Australia. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens, ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/250th of a second.
What a striking looking bird. Interesting seduction scene the males carry out. Ooo La La!
i’ve tried it, and though it sounds really weird, spreading saliva paste on twigs works with human females too, every time.
Beautiful. Perhaps a distant cousin of our Baltimore orioles.
Badass bird!
Yes, very cool.
Beautiful graphic coloring! Love the story of their mating efforts. Very cool indeed!