There seems to have been a male Western bowerbird tending to a bower at the Olive Pink Botanical Garden in Alice Springs for some years. I read that the males are polygamous, mating with several females during a season so it is less likely that we have seen the same female birds.
It had me delving into old image files and mini-DV video tapes because I was pretty certain I had some video footage of the pair showing off at the bower. This was taken in June 2008 and shows the courting behaviour including the pink-coloured erectile nuchal crest of the male.
I have caught up with them on several visits to Alice Springs over the years ....
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| 2004 (Canon Powershot A70) |
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| 2006 (EOS 300D, 125mm zoom) |
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| Just a messy looking bower in 2007 (Powershot A530) |
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| 2008 (EOS 300D, 300mm zoom) |
Bird on!
