The bowerbirds are confined to the great island of New Guinea and
the island continent of Australia, and their immediately adjacent
islands. They are medium-sized birds, omnivorous and largely
solitary. They are unique in the avian world in that the males
build elaborate 'bowers': structures of sticks, grasses or other
plant stems on or close to the ground for display and courtship,
often incorporating objects such as colourful fruits, flowers,
feathers, bones, stones, shells, insect skeletons, and numerous
other natural (and human-made) objects. The highly sophisticated
building, decorating, collecting, arranging, thieving, singing, and
courtship posturing and dancing by males is primarily to attract
and impress females. As much of it is performed in the absence of
females, however, some consider it possible that males may also
enjoy such activities for their own sake. The bowers and the birds'
behaviour associated with them have been much studied by
behavioural ecologists searching for evolutionary and ecological
explanations of behavioural patterns. The authors' aims include:
(a) making the reader aware of the broader significance of
bowerbirds to general biological studies and (b) providing
references to key literature on theoretical issues. Part I contains
general chapters on bowerbird evolution, behaviour, environment,
demography, courtship patterns, breeding biology, and sexual
selection. Part II follows with 21 species accounts, giving
comprehensive information on the birds in their natural state,
including distribution maps and sonographs. Complementing the
species accounts are superb colour plates by Eustace Barnes,
especially commissioned for this volume. The Bowerbirds, like its
companions in the series, is an indispensable work of reference for
everyone interested in birds.
General
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