Bower birds are medium-sized passerine birds that are found in Australia and New Guinea. There are around 20 species of bower birds, and they are known for their unique courtship behavior where males build elaborate structures called bowers to attract females. The bowers are decorated with colorful objects like flowers, berries, shells, feathers etc. But what colors are bower birds themselves? Let’s take a look at the plumage of different bower bird species.
The Satin Bowerbird
The satin bowerbird is perhaps the most well-known of the bowerbirds. The males have black plumage that glistens with a satin-like sheen. The females are a brownish olive color. Juveniles of both sexes resemble the female, with streaked underparts.
During courtship, the male satin bowerbird decorates his bower with blue objects – berries, flowers, feathers etc. He especially favors blue because it stands out against the brown earth. This suggests the male satin bowerbird can perceive and select for the color blue.
The Spotted Bowerbird
Spotted bowerbirds are aptly named for the white spots that speckle their plumage. The male has a black crown and nape, with a purple-brown collar. His upperparts are olive brown but this is broken up by the white spotting. The underparts are a grayish white with fine streaks. The female is similar but lacks the black crown, having an overall brown coloration instead.
The decorations spotted bowerbirds gather for their bowers are often white. Bones, shells, pebbles and the like. Again this suggests an ability to distinguish and choose objects based on color.
The Golden Bowerbird
As the name indicates, golden bowerbirds have plumage colored a bright sunny yellow. The male’s crown and nape are a slightly deeper orange, while the female is more olive-yellow overall. Juveniles have greenish yellow plumage.
The favorite decorations for golden bowerbird bowers are orangey yellow objects. Wild flowers, fruits, leaves and twigs in shades of yellow, orange and brown. This species favors warmer tones to contrast against the cool greens of the forest floor.
The Great Bowerbird
The great bowerbird is gray in coloration. The male has a light gray head, neck and upperparts. The wings and tail are a darker gray. The female is similar but with an olive brown wash. Juveniles are brownish gray with streaked undersides.
When decorating their bowers, great bowerbirds use white objects like small bones, pebbles, shells and ceramic shards. Gray and white makes for a distinctive display against the forest backdrop.
The Tooth-Billed Bowerbird
The tooth-billed bowerbird is medium sized with a stocky build. The male is brownish-violet with streaked undertail coverts. His namesake tooth-like bill is yellow with a darker culmen. The female is a streaky brown with a bill that lacks the yellow color.
As far as bower decorations, this species favors green fruits and leaves, as well as black beetle wings. This is likely meant to contrast against the violet plumage of the male.
The Fawn-Breasted Bowerbird
Aptly named, the male fawn-breasted bowerbird has an overall fawn or reddish-brown coloration on the head, back and breast. The wings and tail are a darker chestnut. Females are dark olive brown, as are juveniles.
This species decorates its bower with flowers in shades of pink and purple. Bright pops of color against the male’s russet plumage.
The Green Bowerbird
The green bowerbird lives up to its name – males have bright green plumage on the back, wings and tail. The crown and throat are yellow, and the breast is bluish-green. Females are more subdued, with olive-green upperparts and paler underparts.
As far as bower decorations, this species favors blue berries and blossoms that complement the male’s vivid green hues.
Summary of Bower Bird Colors
Here is a table summarizing the colors of different bower bird species:
Species | Male Color | Female Color | Juvenile Color |
---|---|---|---|
Satin Bowerbird | Black with purple gloss | Olive brown | Brown with streaked underparts |
Spotted Bowerbird | Olive brown with white spots | Brown | Brown with streaked underparts |
Golden Bowerbird | Bright yellow | Olive yellow | Greenish yellow |
Great Bowerbird | Light gray head, dark gray wings | Olive brown | Brownish gray |
Tooth-billed Bowerbird | Brownish violet | Streaky brown | Unknown |
Fawn-breasted Bowerbird | Fawn brown | Olive brown | Olive brown |
Green Bowerbird | Green with yellow crown | Olive green | Unknown |
Discussion
From examining the plumage of different bower bird species, we see that male bowerbirds tend to have bright, vivid coloring. This includes saturated blues, greens, yellows, violets, and fawns. The bold hues likely play a role in attracting mates.
In contrast, female bowerbirds across species tend to be more muted and camouflaged in browns and olives. This allows them to blend into the surroundings while incubating eggs and raising young.
Juveniles resemble adult females but have streaked underparts for additional camouflage as they mature.
The bright plumage of the males suggests bower birds have color vision required to perceive and display these vibrant hues. This is further evidenced by the colored decorations they carefully curate around their bowers.
Each species has a preference for certain shades and tints that complement its physical appearance. Satin bowerbirds favor blue, golden bowerbirds yellow, and green bowerbirds green accents. This demonstrates an advanced ability to distinguish subtle variances in color.
Bowerbird Vision
So how are bowerbirds able to see in color?
Like humans, bowerbirds have four types of cone cells in their eyes that are responsible for color vision. However, while humans have cones sensitive to red, green, blue and yellow light, bowerbirds have cones that detect ultraviolet, violet, blue and green light.
These visual capabilities are extremely useful for identifying fruits among green foliage, and for selecting colorful decorations to enhance courtship bowers. The ability to see ultraviolet may also allow bowerbirds to spot urine trails and detect the condition of potential mates.
The fact that bowerbirds can perceive and discriminate between colors tells us they have complex visual processing in their brains. Their decorating behaviors show they have cognitive skills in areas like object categorization, color memory, visual discrimination and decision making.
Mimicry of Bowerbird Colors
Other bird species have evolved to mimic the distinctive bright plumage of male bowerbirds. One example is the female cuckoo, which parasitizes the nests of superb fairywrens. The cuckoo has reddish-brown plumage that matches the color of the male red-backed fairywren, allowing her to blend into the surroundings as she lays her eggs in the nests of unwitting fairywrens.
This mimicry suggests the brilliant coloration of male bowerbirds is so effective, it has influenced the evolution of other bird species in the region. By copying bowerbird colors, other birds can reap the benefits of appearing to be strong, healthy mates.
Conclusion
Bowerbirds are incredibly unique birds thanks to their elaborate courtship displays and bowers. The males exhibit a dazzling array of plumage, featuring vivid blues, greens, yellows, violets and fawns. This bright coloration is made possible by specialized cone cell structures in the eye. Bowerbirds not only perceive color, but can discriminate between subtle shades and tints when collecting decorative materials for their bowers. The distinctive hues play an important role in attracting mates and driving evolution through mimicry in other species. Thanks to their advanced color vision and decorative behaviors, bowerbirds provide fascinating insights into avian psychology and neuroscience.