Fawn-breasted bowerbird

Chlamydera cerviniventris

Photo by Dick Daniels (Wikipedia)

Common name:
fawn-breasted bowerbird (en); jardineiro-de-peito-fulvo (pt); jardinier à poitrine fauve (fr); pergolero pechipardo (es); braunbauch-laubenvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Ptilonorhynchidae

Range:
This species is found in north-western and eastern New Guinea, and also in northern Queensland, Australia.

Size:
These birds are about 30 cm long. The males tend to be larger than females, weighing 145-182 g while the females weigh 117-170 g.

Habitat:
The fawn-breasted bowerbird is mostly found in moist tropical forests, also using mangroves, dry savannas, dry scrublands, plantations, rural gardens and even urban areas. they occur from sea level up to an altitude of 1.800 m.

Diet:
They feed on fruits and insects, including beetles and caterpillars.

Breeding:
Fawn-breasted bowerbirds can breed all year round. They are polygynous, with males building elaborate bowers where they display to attract females. After matting the female builds the nest, a fairly large bowl made of sticks, vine tendrils and bark strips, which is lined with finer twigs and sometimes grass stems. The nest is placed in a tree or scrub, up to 10 m above the ground. There the female lays a 1-2 cream or pale olive green eggs with brownish markings which she incubates alone, but there is no information on the length of the incubation period. the chicks fledge about 3 weeks after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a large breeding range and is reported to be fairly common to common in Papua New Guinea and locally fairly common in Australia. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Satin bowerbird

Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

Photo by Eric Tan (Feathers and Photos)

Common name:
satin bowerbird (en); jardineiro-acetinado (pt); jardinier satiné (fr); pergolero satinado (es); seidenlaubenvogel (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Ptilonorhynchidae

Range:
This species is endemic to Australia, being found along most of the eastern and south-eastern coast.

Size:
These birds are 27-33 cm long and weigh 170-290 g.

Habitat:
The satin bowerbird is mostly found in rainforests and Eucalyptus forests, preferring forest edges and nearby woodlands with dense sapling understories. They also use pastures, rural gardens and urban areas.

Diet:
They feed mainly on fruits, but also take flowers, leaves, herbs, nectar, seeds, and insects such as cicadas and beetles.

Breeding:
Satin bowerbirds breed in September-February. They are polygynous, with the males building an elaborate bower to attract females. This bower consists of two parallel walls of sticks, on the ground, and is decorated with bright blue coloured objects that it collects, such as blue parrot feathers, flowers, brown snail shells, blue clothes pegs, blue drinking straws and blue bottle tops. Beside the bower, the male performs a ritualised display of exaggerated movements. If impressed, the each female mates with the male, after which she leaves to nest by herself. She builds an open cup made of sticks and twigs, and lined with green and dry leaves, which is placed on a tree, scrub or vine, 2-40 m above the ground. There she lays 1-3 cream coloured eggs with brown streaks and blotches, which she incubates for 21-22 days. The chicks fledge 17-21 days after hatching, but remain with their mother for another 2 months. Females reach sexual maturity at 2-3 years of age, but male only reach sexual maturity at 7-8 years of age.

Conservation:
IUCN status -  LC (Least Concern)
This species ha a large breeding range and is reported to be locally fairly common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Spotted catbird

Ailuroedus melanotis

Photo by Larry Dunis (Bushpea)

Common name:
spotted catbird (en); jardineiro-malhado (pt); jardinier oreillard (fr); maullador orejudo (es); schwarzohr-laubenvogel (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Ptilonorhynchidae


Range:
This species is found in northern Queensland, Australia and in New Guinea and nearby islands.


Size:
These birds are 26-30 cm long and weigh 150-200 g.


Habitat:
Spotted catbirds are found in tropical and sub-tropical rainforests and in moist scrublands. They are found from sea level up to an altitude of 2.250 m.


Diet:
They mostly eat fruits, but also seeds, flowers, sap, insects and during the breeding season even lizards, frogs and the eggs of other birds.


Breeding:
Spotted catbirds are monogamous and breed in September-December. The female builds the nest and lays 1-3 eggs, which she incubates alone for 19-25 days. The chicks are fed by both parents and fledge 19-20 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and it is described as widespread and common within this range. This population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

Regent bowerbird

Sericulus chrysocephalus

Photo by Josep del Hoyo (Internet Bird Collection)

Common name:

regent bowerbird (en); jardineiro-governador (pt); jardinier prince-régent (fr); pergolero regente (es); gelbnacken-laubenvogel (de)

Taxonomy:

Order Passeriformes

Family Ptilonorhynchidae

Range:

This Australian species is only found in the coastal rainforests of south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, in the eastern-most part of Australia.

Size:

The regent bowerbird is 25-30 cm long. They can weigh up to 100 g.

Habitat:

They are found in forested areas, mostly rainforests and their surrounding areas.

Diet:

They mostly eat fruits and berries in the canopy and upper layers of the forests. These may be seasonally supplemented with insects, spiders, plant shoots and leaves.

Breeding:

The breding season of the regent bowerbird takes place in September-March. The male will not participate in either nest building of raising the young. He builds an avenue-type bower consisting of two walls of sticks, decorated with shells, seeds, leaves and berries that is used to attract females. The actual nest is built by the female, a shallow saucer of twigs and leaves that may be well away from the male's bower. The clutch is composed of 1-2 eggs, which are incubated by the female for 25 days. The chicks stay in the nest for 22 days before fledging.

Conservation:

IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)

This species as a large breeding range. Although the population is believed to be declining due to ongoing habitat loss and degradation, and unquantified levels of hunting, the species is not considered threatened at present.