Photos

This is a young male satin bowerbird, a rainforest bird from eastern Australia from Melbourne to north of Brisbane. The adult males are a silky blue/black colour when they reach seven years of age, with females looking similar to a young male but with fewer colours. The stark white background is the white canvas of my tent, when brightened has turned a neutral white, which I think emphasizes the colouration of the bird, in particular the sapphire eye, which commands attention each time one of these birds makes an appearance (it is not a cut and paste job!). These birds eat mostly forest fruits and are famous for the construction of ‘bowers’, double sided twig platforms on which the male displays and presents blue treasure to the female. This performance is most exciting to watch as he dances and sings his buzzing song, with a floral offering in his beak.