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Encounter with a Satin Bowerbird

on 15th November 2008

An earlier post on Australia’s bowerbirds attracted the attention of an Australian blogger who wrote in giving his link.

Dr CH Lee a.k.a. lchxian posted his encounter with a Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) on 5th November 2008.

“Apparently, the male Satin Bowerbird spends a lot of it’s time building this bower. The bower is not a nest. It is just purely for the purpose of attracting a female, copulation is supposed to happen between the walls of the bower.

“I was lucky to witness this female Satin Bowerbird checking out the bower, while the male satin bowerbird is away. Looking at this picture, I wander, if male Satin Bowerbirds chose blue coloured objects for decoration, as it is similar to the colour of the eyes of the Satin Bowerbird.

“This female Satin Bowerbird decided to pick up some of the blue caps, and did a runner… She flew off with the caps. But later returned with two blue caps. Not quite sure why she did it. Note another blue object in the bower.”

Dr Lee has a link to a male Satin Bowerbird that paid the ultimate price, his life, to impress the female. He died an agonisingly slow death, after a blue ring from the milk bottle that he collected, become caught around it’s neck and beak.

All images by Dr CH Lee.

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

Other posts by YC Wee

6 Responses

  1. Based on the streaky throat markings and particularly, the pale coloured bill and the greenish breast, I think this is more likely to be a 3rd or 4th year immature male rather than a female.

  2. Sure. Always best to check as many sources as you can.

    I am not sure if you are aware that immature male Satin Bowerbirds have what are known as “practice” sub-bowers within a communal territory. They use these bowers to practice their building and display skills in readiness for the time when they become mature enough to maintain and defend a bower and to attract females to it. They are usually aggressively driven off if they approach the primary bower of a mature male.

    In my view, this “practising” also serves as an explanation for the “doing a runner” behaviour you described. However, rather than it being a female removing blue objects and then returning them it is my view that this was typical “thieving” behaviour which is exhibited by males – followed by typical “decorating” behaviour, also carried out by males. However, in the case of the bower you observed, the behaviours were being displayed by one (or maybe more)immature male birds, practising for the time when they would establish and maintain a primary bower which would attract females for mating.

    Hope this is some help.

    Bruce

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