Great Bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis)

The Great Bowerbird’s (Chlamydera nuchalis) favoured habitat is a broad range of forest and woodland, and the margins of vine forests, monsoon forest, and mangrove swamps.

As with most members of the bowerbird family, breeding considerations dominate the lifecycle: females nest inconspicuously and raise their young alone, while the males spend most of the year building, maintaining, improving, defending, and above all displaying from their bowers. Only a male with a successful bower can attract mates. Spend some time watching them decorate, they are so much fun to watch!

They are a common and conspicuous resident of northern Australia, from the area around Broome across the Top End to Cape York Peninsula and as far south as Mount Isa. I got my best views in Katherine near the museum and at the Lazy Lizard Caravan Park but I pretty much saw them everywhere!