BS: the delightful bowerbird

Subject: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 06 Jul 08 - 09:28 PM

For no particular reason, I am posting a link to a delightful page which shows a bowerbird at work. I have read about these birds for many years, and finally this page shows a film with a bowerbird in it.

It will cheer you up.


page with bowerbird video

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: Beer
Date: 06 Jul 08 - 09:48 PM

Wow! truly amazing.
Beer (adrien)

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: Bee
Date: 06 Jul 08 - 10:47 PM

I wish my house was that neat and organized.

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: Severn
Date: 06 Jul 08 - 11:12 PM

We must just have Bowery Boids here, like the trashy English Sparrow nest in my outside vent.

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 10:46 AM

I'm glad to hear from other catters who take an interest in this kind of thing. I think what amazes me most is the two pillars which hold up the roof. How did that little bird do that?

There are other species of bowerbirds, including one with blue feathers that collects blue objects. If you google 'bowerbird image,' you will find more pictures.

Now here's a new challenge. Thirty years ago, I read about the flatid (or flattid?) bug from Africa. For camouflage, it is said, a colony of them will arrange themselves to look like a flower. I thought it strange at the time that nobody had taken a picture of that.

Yesterday, something reminded me, and I searched the web for a picture of flatid bugs imitating a flower. No picture! What do you think, is it a myth? Can somebody who is better than I at using the Web find a picture of flatid bugs imitating a flower?

Further views of bowerbirds are also welcome, of course.

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: open mike
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 11:02 AM

one of the pix is from U.C. Davis
and a professor there has published these little bits of wisdom:
Publications:
Uy, J. Albert C., Gail L. Patricelli & Gerald Borgia. 2001. Complex Mate Searching in the Satin Bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus. American Naturalist. 158: 530-542.

Patricelli, Gail L., J. Albert C. Uy, Gregory Walsh & Gerald Borgia. 2002. Sexual selection: Male displays adjusted to female's response. Nature. 415: 279-280.

Patricelli, G. L., J. Albert C. Uy & Gerald Borgia. 2003. Multiple male traits interact: attractive physical displays facilitate attractive behavioral displays in satin bowerbirds. Proc. Roy. Soc. London, Ser. B. 270: 2389-2395.

Patricelli, Gail L., J. Albert C. Uy & Gerald Borgia. 2004. Female signals enhance the efficiency of mate assessment in satin bowerbirds (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus). Behavioral Ecology. 15: 297-304.

Coleman, Seth W., Gail L. Patricelli & Gerald Borgia. 2004. Variable Female Preferences Drive Complex Male Displays. Nature. 428: 742-745.

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: Bee
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 11:50 AM

Leeneia: I found a photo of your elusive bug. It lives in Madagascar, and is very pretty.

http://photos.wildmadagascar.org/images/flatid_leaf_bugs_adult0082.shtml

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: Bee
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 11:55 AM

Just a note on search terms: I found that image instantly by using the words 'flatid insect' instead of 'bug'. In entomology terms 'bug' describes a specific set of insects', of which plant hoppers, which these critters are, are not a part. 'Insect' covers a lot more ground if you are looking for something unusual. 'Bug' will likely get you more hits from pest control businesses, though. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: RangerSteve
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 01:52 PM

There's a British documentary series called "The Life of Birds", narrated by David Attenborough, available on DVD. It shows the bowerbird mentioned above that collects blue objects. Even if you're only slightly interested in birds, it's an amazing series.

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 07:49 PM

I love these birds! Have seen the Attenborough show; just incredible.

And, those insects! WOW, they are so gorgeous, definitely look like flowers. What amazing things i learn about on Mudcat.

Great thread, thanks!

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: Bee
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 08:23 PM

Look at this little pink lady - she's a praying mantis who catches prey by hanging out among one species of orchid.

http://www.bugsincyberspace.com/mantids/mantid_images/orchid_mantis0061f.jpg

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 08:42 PM

How sweet! She looks like a gangly ballerina!

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: topical tom
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 09:21 PM

What amazing organization and arrangement! A true marvel of nature at work!

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 07 Jul 08 - 10:54 PM

Thanks, Bee, for the picture of the flatid insect. At last I've seen it!

They are such a pretty shade of pink, too.

Once I was tending a pink rose in the garden. and a small pink and gray spider emerged from a blossom.

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: JennieG
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 02:20 AM

Several years ago Himself and our two small kidlets were walking in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney (on the old Lapstone zig-zag track, for anyone who knows the area) when we came across a bower bird's bower filled with blue objects - drinking straws, plastic bottle lids, clothes pegs, bits of blue thread. We didn't have the camera with us at the time but I have the photo in my mind.

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: ranger1
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 10:19 AM

I've seen the entire documentary that clip was taken from. Jason and I spent an enjoyable hour watching assorted bowerbirds making assorted bowers, but the funniest bit was watching a rival male come through and trash the first male's bower.

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: GUEST,freda
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 10:47 AM

My sister lives in the country and has an abandoned bower bird's nest in her back yard. It has been carefully constructed under a bush, and has been decorated with all sorts of blue items including flowers, insect wings, and even bits of blue glass, blue plastic bottle caps and blue plastic straws.

freda

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: Bee
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 12:23 PM

It's interesting that some other birds have the same instinct to collect things, but not seemingly related to mating. Some, but not all crows will be collectors. I once found a crow's nest, come adrift from a tree, that contained broken pieces of blue glass power line insulators, shiny bottle caps and a plastic clothespeg.

Subject: RE: BS: the delightful bowerbird
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Jul 08 - 12:29 PM

That crow probably saw the PBS show on bowerbirds through a window, then thought, 'Hey, if it helps those guys click with the chicks, maybe it'll help me!'

When birds start watching the documentaries on birds, is it another form of the uncertainty principle at work? (i.e, the act of observation changes the thing observed.)