Great Bowerbird

BowerbirdsGreat Bowerbird Green Catbird Satin Bowerbird Western Bowerbird

Found in northern Australia, stretching from Broome in Western Australia, across the Northern Territory to Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, the Great Bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis) is a large and noisy bowerbird.

It’s plumage is mainly grey-brown with white scalloping pattern on the back. The male has bright pink-magenta crest. When not erect, the crest is covered by light brown-cream coloured feathering. The females are smaller and may lack the crest.

The male Great Bowerbird create a large tunnel-shaped bower out of twigs and grasses that is normally line up in a north-south direction. Usually built underneath a large shrub, at each end is a cleared area that they decorate, called the apron. The tunnel-like part in the middle is called the avenue.

They decorate the bower with small objects, that are usually red, green, or white, depending on what they can find in the area. The treasure trove of objects can include rocks, bones, shells, pieces of glass, seeds and a variety of plastic objects. The bowers are often refurbished year after year by the same male bowerbird, although they may also construct a new one nearby.

Common in the Top End picnic areas, the Great Bowerbird spends a lot of time on the ground. It is mainly a fruit eater but has become a cheeky scavenger.