Spotted Bowerbird

1. Amber-spotted brown plumage with a small lilac-pink nape crest (more prominent in males)

2. Loud, harsh calls and skilled mimicry of other birds and environmental sounds

3. Builds avenue bowers decorated with pale or shiny objects

Breeding takes place from July to March. Males construct avenue-type bowers on the ground, often under shrubs, and decorate them with hundreds to thousands of pale or shiny objects such as bones, shells, stones, and sometimes human-made items. Males spend much of their day maintaining and displaying at their bowers. After mating, females build a loosely constructed cup-shaped nest in dense bushes or trees, usually away from the bower. The female lays two, occasionally three, eggs that are grey to greenish with intricate markings. Only the female incubates the eggs and raises the chicks.

Look for Spotted Bowerbirds in dry, open woodlands dominated by eucalypts or acacias, especially where there is a dense understory. They are most often seen in inland Queensland and New South Wales, sometimes venturing into rural gardens, orchards, and parks. The species is also associated with riverine woodlands and areas near watercourses. Listen for their distinctive calls and search beneath dense shrubs for their decorated bowers.