The bowerbirds are very different to other birds and intriguing in their behaviour. We have 8 different species Australia wide, their habitat being far north and down the East Coast.
The Satin and Regent are the only ones we see on the mountain and we are very honoured to be able to observe their amusing antics in our own garden. The Satin Bowerbirds are every day visitors whilst the Regents only pop in occasionally.
The mature Satin male is around 12” and appears to be black but with the sunlight on his feathers there is a rich glossy purple/blue sheen.
SATIN MALE
The mature Regent male is about 10” and is a brilliant yellow and black with an unusual bright yellow eye. He has the same colouring as a female until his fourth year.
REGENT MALE
The females of both the Satin and the Regent look much alike except for size, the Regent being the smaller. The male and female Satin Bowerbirds are renowned for their bright lilac/blue eyes. The female is a mix of yellow/green, grey/green and shades of brown.as is the juvenile male. It is during his seventh year that he moults and changes into his adult plumage.
SATIN FEMAL
They both build bowers although we will just take a look at the bower and decorations of the Satin Bowerbird. He builds it of sticks and twigs and they are intricately woven and form an archway. Inside this arch the earth is scratched out and levelled and the decorating starts in earnest. He works extremely hard collecting items that are blue and also things that sparkle. Some of the objects he uses are flowers, berries, feathers and clothes pegs.
On one occasion I experienced one swooping closely over my head and try to remove some clips from my hair. Even more funny I think is the time I saw one try and remove a mobile phone from a tourist’s trouser belt. The bird could just see the shining bracket which attached the phone to his belt and the man literally jumped in the air. Once a territory is established they use it year after year and each mature male tends his own bower throughout the year. He redecorates by collecting more items and moving things around until he is pleased with the result.
If another male sets up a bower too close to an existing established male he will destroy the newcomers bower. When a female comes near the bower he will dance, offer her some of his blue treasures and also mimic other birds. The better the mimic he is the more chance he has of gaining the acceptance of the female. If she is impressed they will mate inside the bower and from then on she is totally on her own. She will find suitable branches about 30ft. in the air and make her saucer shaped nest out of twigs and line it with dry leaves. She will lay several eggs and all of the incubation and raising of the young is done by her only.
They have a diet of fruit, leaves and insects. Each day I make them a porridge treat which they adore. This consists of wholegrain bread, cornmeal, brown sugar, dried fruit and enough water to simmer to a soft porridge consistency.
They don’t have a song and it’s very difficult to describe their sound so if you would like to hear the Satin Bowerbird just click HERE. I hope you’ve enjoyed the story of these unique birds.
