The satin bowerbird is a species of passerine bird in the bowerbird family Ptilonorhynchidae that is endemic to eastern Australia. It is the only species placed in the genus Ptilonorhynchus.
Region
Eastern Australia
Typical Environment
Occurs along the east coast and ranges from northeastern Queensland south through New South Wales into eastern Victoria. Prefers rainforests, wet sclerophyll forests, and dense eucalypt gullies, but also uses forest edges and well-treed suburban gardens. In winter some populations move downslope or toward coastal lowlands where fruit is abundant. It avoids arid inland habitats but can be locally common where suitable cover and food exist.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Subtropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Males build avenue-style bowers and decorate them with blue objects, from berries to bottle caps, to impress females. The male’s plumage is a glossy satin blue-black, while females are greenish-brown and finely scalloped; males typically take about seven years to attain full adult coloration. They are noted vocal mimics and weave mechanical buzzes and borrowed calls into their displays.
Satin bowerbird in Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia
A male building the bower
Satin bowerbird at his bower
Temperament
generally shy in dense cover but bold and territorial at bowers
Flight Pattern
short, direct flights with rapid wingbeats through forest
Social Behavior
Polygynous: males build and maintain bowers, where they court multiple females. Females choose mates based on bower quality and displays, then build nests and rear young alone. Outside the breeding season, birds often forage in small groups and may join mixed-species flocks.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A varied mix of harsh buzzes, whirrs, and chattering notes interspersed with clear whistles. Males frequently mimic other bird species and environmental sounds during courtship displays.
Plumage
Male is glossy satin blue-black; female is olive-brown above with buffy scalloping and paler, heavily barred underparts.
Diet
Primarily fruits from native and introduced plants, supplemented with seeds, flowers, and leaves. Also takes insects and other arthropods, especially during the breeding season to feed nestlings. Opportunistic around orchards and gardens, sometimes collecting human-made blue items while foraging near bowers.
Preferred Environment
Forages in mid- to upper-canopy of rainforests and wet eucalypt forests, along edges, and in wooded suburban areas. Will feed on the ground near bowers and in fruiting trees in parks and orchards.
