Great Bowerbird

Overview

The Chlamydera nuchalis is the largest member of the bowerbird family and a common resident of northern Australia. Its lifecycle is dominated by breeding behaviours, with males spending most of the year constructing and displaying at elaborate bowers to attract mates.

Identification

• 33 to 38 cm in length with fawny grey plumage.
• Males possess a small but conspicuous pink crest on the nape of the neck.
• Males display at the north platform of their bowers, often bobbing their heads while holding a coloured object in their bill.

Habitat

Favoured habitats include a broad range of forests and woodlands, as well as the margins of vine forests, monsoon forest, and mangrove swamps. The species ranges from Broome across the Top End to Cape York Peninsula and as far south as Mount Isa and Townsville.

Did you know?

Uniquely among bowerbirds, groups of young males attend a single bower concurrently to practise their building skills before establishing their own structures for mating.