Vogelkop Bowerbird
Encyclopedia
The Vogelkop Bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata), also known as the Vogelkop Gardener Bowerbird, is a medium-sized, bowerbird
of the mountains of the Vogelkop Peninsula at Western New Guinea
, Indonesia
.
family with, however, one of the largest and most elaborate bowers.
-like structure some 100 cm high and 160 cm in diameter, with an entrance usually propped up by two column-like sticks. A front "lawn" of some square meters area is cleaned of debris and laid out with moss
. On this, and in the entrance of the bower, decorations such as colourful flowers or fruit, shining beetle elytra, dead leaves and other conspicuous objects are collected and artistically arranged.
Males go to great lengths to ensure that their displays are in prime condition, replacing old items as needed, as well as trying to outdo their neighbours by finding more spectacular decorations, and arranging them appropriately. As opposed to other species of bowerbirds, such as the Satin Bowerbird
, there is no fixed preference for items of a certain colour, more important being the "novelty value" of the items instead, which can lead to fashion
-like trends if males find rare or unusual items; such rare finds are prime targets for theft by neighboring males. Females visit bowers and, depending on whether they like the "treasure trove" on display, will mate with the attendant males. The bower, indeed the male, play no part in nesting and raising the young.
The songs and mimicry skill of this bird are well known among the indigenous peoples
. In September 1872, Odoardo Beccari
became the first naturalist to see the home grounds of this bowerbird in the Arfak Mountains
of Irian Jaya.
Because of its unadorned and plain plumage, this bowerbird is relatively safe from persecution. A common species within its limited habitat range, the Vogelkop Bowerbird is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species.
Bowerbird
Bowerbirds make up the bird family Ptilonorhynchidae. The family has 20 species in eight genera. These are medium-sized passerines, ranging from the Golden Bowerbird to the Great Bowerbird...
of the mountains of the Vogelkop Peninsula at Western New Guinea
Western New Guinea
West Papua informally refers to the Indonesian western half of the island of New Guinea and other smaller islands to its west. The region is officially administered as two provinces: Papua and West Papua. The eastern half of New Guinea is Papua New Guinea.The population of approximately 3 million...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Description
The birds are about 25 cm in length, with the females being slightly smaller. They are mainly olive brown in colour, though somewhat paler below, with no ornamental plumage. This makes the species one of the dullest-coloured members of the bowerbirdBowerbird
Bowerbirds make up the bird family Ptilonorhynchidae. The family has 20 species in eight genera. These are medium-sized passerines, ranging from the Golden Bowerbird to the Great Bowerbird...
family with, however, one of the largest and most elaborate bowers.
Bower
The bower is a cone-shaped hutHut (dwelling)
A hut is a small and crude shelter, usually used for dwelling. Its design favors local techniques and materials to allow for swift and inexpensive construction.-Modern use:...
-like structure some 100 cm high and 160 cm in diameter, with an entrance usually propped up by two column-like sticks. A front "lawn" of some square meters area is cleaned of debris and laid out with moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
. On this, and in the entrance of the bower, decorations such as colourful flowers or fruit, shining beetle elytra, dead leaves and other conspicuous objects are collected and artistically arranged.
Males go to great lengths to ensure that their displays are in prime condition, replacing old items as needed, as well as trying to outdo their neighbours by finding more spectacular decorations, and arranging them appropriately. As opposed to other species of bowerbirds, such as the Satin Bowerbird
Satin Bowerbird
The Satin Bowerbird, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus is a bowerbird endemic to eastern Australia.A rare natural intergeneric hybrid between the Satin Bowerbird and the Regent Bowerbird is known as Rawnsley's Bowerbird.-Distribution:...
, there is no fixed preference for items of a certain colour, more important being the "novelty value" of the items instead, which can lead to fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
-like trends if males find rare or unusual items; such rare finds are prime targets for theft by neighboring males. Females visit bowers and, depending on whether they like the "treasure trove" on display, will mate with the attendant males. The bower, indeed the male, play no part in nesting and raising the young.
The songs and mimicry skill of this bird are well known among the indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
. In September 1872, Odoardo Beccari
Odoardo Beccari
Odoardo Beccari was an Italian naturalist perhaps best known for discovering the titan arum, the plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world, in Sumatra in 1878...
became the first naturalist to see the home grounds of this bowerbird in the Arfak Mountains
Arfak Mountains
The Arfak Mountains are a mountain range found on the Bird's Head Peninsula in the Province of West Papua, Indonesia. The mountain range is rugged and remote, rising up to 7,700 feet above sea level...
of Irian Jaya.
Because of its unadorned and plain plumage, this bowerbird is relatively safe from persecution. A common species within its limited habitat range, the Vogelkop Bowerbird is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Threatened Species.
External links
- Avian Visual Cognition: Photo of male arranging red flowers and black beetle elytra. Retrieved 2007-FEB-19.
- BirdLife Species Factsheet. Retrieved 2007-FEB-19.
- Photo of male in front of bower by Don Roberson. Note discarded batteries and film casings. Retrieved 2007-FEB-19.
- Video of a Vogelkop Bowerbird preparing its display
- video footage from the BBC's Life series and Life of Birds
