Great bowerbird, Chillagoe, NQ [PH]

Great bowerbird bower, Laura, NQ [PH]

The great bowerbird, Chlamydera nuchalis (family Ptilonorhynchidae), is a large grey bowerbird with a hissing call common in wooded country. It makes a rather sophisticated 'avenue' bower composed of two parallel rows of sticks stuck into a platform of twigs. (See the photo below.) The entrances and the centre of the avenue inside the bower are decorated with colourful objects.