Regent Bowerbird

Scientific Name: Sericulus chrysocephalus

Did You Know?

In the bowerbird family there is a definite pattern where the more colourful birds tend to build less elaborate bowers. The regent bowerbird is a good example of this, its beautiful plumage making up for the relatively plain and simple bower. The fawn-breasted bowerbird (Chlamydera cerviniventris) on the other hand, is a dull brown bird yet builds an intricate structure involving an extensive platform of twigs into which the main bower is incorporated.

Surely, one of the most stunningly coloured of all birds, the male regent bowerbird is unmistakable in his livery of jet black with vivid orange-yellow wings, neck and crown of the head. The eye is also bright yellow. The female by comparison is a dull fawn-brown with darker flecks and bars and a distinctive black patch on the back of the head.

Habitat:

The rainforests of coastal eastern Australia are the home of this species, ranging from Gosford, New South Wales in the south to central Queensland.

Diet:

Fruits and berries are the preferred food, although this may be seasonally supplemented with insects and new plant shoots and leaves.

Reproduction:

The bower in this species is an untidy collection of twigs forming an open tunnel decorated with yellow or red ornaments, both natural and man-made. The male performs an elaborate dance to attract the female to the bower for mating. The nest, which is constructed by the female, is a platform of twigs and she then carries out all domestic duties from incubation to raising the chicks. These two tasks take around six weeks to complete.