Western Bowerbird

1. Dark brown plumage with heavy buff or rufous spotting and a pink to lilac nuchal crest in males

2. Yellowish underbody with reddish scalloping and a slightly down-curved dark bill

3. Males build avenue bowers decorated mainly with white and green objects, including bones, shells, and human items

Western Bowerbirds are omnivores, feeding on fruits (especially rock figs), nectar, flowers, insects, and occasionally cultivated fruits. They require regular access to water and are often seen foraging both on the ground and in trees. The breeding season runs from July to February. Males construct and maintain avenue bowers, which they decorate and use for courtship displays. Females build a separate shallow nest bowl in a tree or shrub, usually 2–6 meters above the ground, where they lay one or two eggs. Only the female incubates the eggs and cares for the chicks. Males are polygamous and do not assist with nesting or chick-rearing.

Western Bowerbirds inhabit arid and semi-arid regions of Central Australia and the Pilbara, favouring rocky outcrops, gorges, riverine woodlands, and shrub thickets, always near water sources. They are often seen in bushlands around Alice Springs and other outback communities, as well as parks and gardens where water is available. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to observe them, especially when males are active around their bowers.