Friday 31 December 2010

Twitching - Bower Birds


O'Reilly's logo is a stylised male Regent Bower Bird. The first and last images today are of this stunning bird. The males only develop this plumage at around 5 years, before which they look very similar to this female, seen here perched on the guest-house roof, and scraping squashed fig from the drive-way. This male builds a most rudimentary bower, but does help with the raising of the young. Metrosexual, if you will.


This splendid bower was created by the male Satin Bower Bird, who becomes this deep blue at about 7 years of age. He is the one with the blue fetish. The female, high in the tree here, is hiding her light green back and highly scalloped breast. He reckons that his elaborate courtship makes up for the fact that he does absolutely nothing else to raise the young.

The bower is for courtship only. Eggs are laid in a nest much higher up, often in Hoop Pines. I have not seen a Green Catbird yet, which is another type of Bower Bird.

17 comments:

Lanie said...

That's it. I'm coming to Australia if I have to SWIM there! I adore wild birds. Your blog feeds my soul. thank you thank you thank you!

Anonymous said...

What great colors, the males really stand out. Happy New Year!

Ann said...

Ah, you got it, aren't they wonderful. Looks like its stopped raining as well.

Happy New Year.

Julie said...

They are totally mind-boggling in their beauty, Ann. Yep, rain has stopped. No more since Tuesday. Doesn't help the poor buggers down on the lowlands, though.

Jim said...

The colouring on the male of the species is superb. Wonderful shots.
Sydney - City and Suburbs

Bob Crowe said...

I'm not much of a nature photographer but this is quite a spectacular assortment. How long a lens were you using? I do expect to be out scoping the nesting sea turtles when we're in Tamarindo in a couple of weeks.

There is a color version of the B&W flowers in my Thursday post you commented on. I can upload it to Flickr if you like.

Kay L. Davies said...

Australia is the place for birds, that's for sure. They are everywhere, and they are beautiful. I think maybe I'll have to come back. Either by flying short distances and stopping often, or getting there on a cruise ship.
Wonderful post on the bower bird, Julie. I'd love to see the green catbird (i.e. your photo of one when you see it).
All the best for 2011.
-- K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

Joan Elizabeth said...

Splendid. I've never seen the Regent Bowerbird. I remember the Satin Bowerbirds were flying about the tables at the cafe when I was there. Happy New Year.

Cloudy said...

Today is New Year's Eve because I greet everyone I like. Therefore I send you from afar one thousand magic stars ...

Love greeting
Kvelli

Tussy said...

Interesting to see most of animal males are super attractive while human being, all ladies are putting colors on themself :)

Happy New Year!

Jilly said...

Oh what a wonderful set of photographs, Julie. What a treat. Bower birds are wonderful. I've never seen one except on a David Attenborough programme. Lucky you to find these birds and congratulations on great photos.

Have a wonderful 2011, Julie. Happiness, peace, health - what else is necessary? - creativity perhaps of which you've got oodles.

Around Alice with Mike said...

I love these pics of the bower birds. They really are stunning. Especially all the blue bottle lids. They are adorable.

Julie said...

AH, now the blue lids of the juice bottles. The rangers have tried replacing these lids (which the BB retrieve from bins) with the blue flowers and berries that were used prior to human settlement. But the birds chuck all that out, and restock with blue lids - and straws - within 24 hours. One bird had even found a cut up blue credit card and used that to ornament his bower.

Unknown said...

This is like watching David Attenborough's documentaries! I think you know how much I love wildlife so you can easily imagine I'm in awe. Outstanding post, Julie!

Julie said...

Goodo, Jose. I love this stuff too. You will love the post for 2nd Jan too, and probably all this week as I sort through my experiences of a week spent in an Australian rainforest.

diane b said...

Just caught up with the backlog of your posts. Lovely stuff. The birds are magnificent. My nephew from Albury/Wodonga went to O'Rielleys for a photography workshop. He said it was fabulous and he came back with mighty shots.

Julie said...

They do wonderful activities up here, and the staff are soooo unaffected - and YOUNG!!

They have birding weeks, and yes lots of photography offerings. However, as I said in my first post, it is not a cheap place to stay.

I go home today - boohoo ...