Hello Richard, about 15 years ago I published on the Satin Bowerbird also liking yellow objects in addition to the traditional blue ones [see p90 of my article in CBN 28, pp87-95 (2003)]. While I have since seen further examples of this, I can’t recall
them actually being used while the bowerbird was performing as opposed to decorations around the bower, often leaves or straws at the front, but also Sulphur-crested Cockatoo crest feathers (as in Geoffrey’s photo). As I noted in my article how they manage
to collect so many of these feathers is unclear.
Jack Holland
Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2018 7:12 PM
Subject: [canberrabirds] Satin Bowerbirds - Yellow and Blue Objects
Seeing this, I was reminded that all of the male Satin Bowerbirds that I have seen performing (which is not a statistically significant number but photographs illustrating this can be supplied upon request) have been carrying both a yellow object
and a blue object with their beak. Why is their penchant for blue objects always noted in the literature, whilst I have not read anywhere about the yellow objects that they present to females ?
... Richard Lane
