Bowerbird obsession with blue?

["Ian Fraser via Canberrabirds " <>]

Sloughed snake skins are popular too. 

Ian Fraser

Sent from my iPad

On 18 Nov 2025, at 22:04, Philip Veerman via Canberrabirds <> wrote:



The book Bird wonders of Australia by Alec Chisholm has a long discussion of this issue (pages 7-9) describing many things used that are not all blue and includes the story of a ”Sydney aviculturalist” where the finch population was decreasing until the owner noticed that the finches were being killed by a male SBB and the bodies being used in the bower. The finches were described as “mainly blue” . but I wonder what, there aren’t that many finches that are mainly blue: (African) Condon-bleu Waxbill and the (Central American) Jacarini Finch males are the blue ones that come to mind.  I suppose the one I mentioned just before was in another book.

 

Philip

 

From: Canberrabirds [ On Behalf Of Philip Veerman via Canberrabirds
Sent: Tuesday, 18 November, 2025 9:32 PM
To: 'CanberraBirds email list'
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Bowerbird obsession with blue?

 

Somewhere (long ago) I read of one incident of a whole dead male Superb Fairy-wren in a Satin bowerbird’s bower. Although I have often seen the blue feathers of Crimson Rosella. I suggest (guess really) that it may not greatly matter how much nice stuff the male collects, to be successful, what matters is having more than the neighbours have.

 

Philip

 

From: Canberrabirds [ On Behalf Of Kim Farley via Canberrabirds
Sent: Tuesday, 18 November, 2025 9:14 PM
To: shorty
Cc: Canberra birds
Subject: Re: [Canberrabirds] Bowerbird obsession with blue?

 

And blue feathers (eg Crimson Rosella) and blue fruits (eg Dianella)....

 

On Tue, Nov 18, 2025 at 7:56 PM shorty via Canberrabirds <> wrote:

Flowers and rocks I would think.

 

Shorty

 

On Tue, Nov 18, 2025 at 7:53 PM ben milbourne via Canberrabirds <> wrote:

Curious ... What did bowerbirds collect prior to the availability of blue manmade objects?

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