Bowerbirds

[Alistair Stewart <>]

Hi Mark,

Having lived with Satin Bowerbirds for the past 15 years in Northern 
NSW, I have seen very few blue objects in their bowers other than the 
bottletops, straws, and clothes pegs as you mentioned. The only other 
main blue object I have found in their bowers, is the flower of the 
Tobacco bush, which is a light blue-muave colour. I was quick to think 
that this was used predominantly before blue plastics, but realised it 
is an introduced species which only arrived in the last 200yrs.

My only thought is that they used native flowers and were very 
competitive about gathering them. But they do use some objects that are 
a green or yellow colour, so maybe, blue is preffered but not essential.

It will be interesting to hear others opinions.

Bird on,

Alistair Stewart