Golden Bowerbird

1. Male: brilliant golden-yellow underparts and nape, brown head and back

2. Female: olive-brown above, greyish below; much less colourful than male

3. Smallest Australian bowerbird, found only in upland rainforest

These birds are fruit specialists, feeding mostly on rainforest fruits, especially from vines, but also take insects, spiders, and other arthropods. Males build and maintain large maypole bowers (two vertical columns of sticks up to 3 meters tall) often in the same spot for 2–3 years. Breeding occurs mainly from August to December. Males reach maturity and their full golden plumage after five to six years and spend years learning bower-building by visiting other males’ bowers. Females build a cup-shaped nest in tree crevices, laying one or two eggs per clutch, and raise the young alone. Both sexes may cache fruits near bowers for later use.

Golden Bowerbirds inhabit upland rainforests between 35 and 1,53 meters elevation, favouring slopes, ridges, and areas with dense canopy coverage in the Wet Tropics of north Queensland. Early morning is the best time to spot males at their bowers, which are often built between two trees and decorated with lichen, flowers, and fruits. Listen for their metallic, rattling calls echoing through the forest during breeding season.