Post your Bird Portraits (2)

nardes wrote in post #19369718
A male Satin Bower Bird collecting sticks to maintain his bower in the Lamington National Park.

The male builds and decorates a bower to attract females. This consists of two parallel walls of sticks, built on the ground, and is used as a courtship arena during the breeding season. The male decorates it with bright blue coloured objects that it collects; blue clothes pegs, drinking straws and bottle tops are among the favourite stolen items, while bright blue parrot feathers, flowers and brown snail shells, make up the majority of decorations away from human habitation. The bower owner meticulously maintains it throughout the year. Both mature and immature males build bowers and display to prospective females.

On the arrival of a female, the male Satin Bowerbird leaps into a ritualised display of exaggerated movements, such as strutting and bowing, with wings outstretched and quivering, and accompanied by a variety of mechanical-sounding calls, such as buzzing and rattling interspersed with mimicry. One of the bower decorations is usually carried in the male's bill. If impressed, the female moves into the bower avenue for mating and then leaves to perform the nesting duties on her own, while the male readies himself for courting more prospective females.

The bower is more like a bachelors pad as the female builds a nest of sticks in a tree or bush, up to 30 m – 35 m above the ground.

Cheers

Dennis

nardes wrote in post #19369718
A male Satin Bower Bird collecting sticks to maintain his bower in the Lamington National Park.

The male builds and decorates a bower to attract females. This consists of two parallel walls of sticks, built on the ground, and is used as a courtship arena during the breeding season. The male decorates it with bright blue coloured objects that it collects; blue clothes pegs, drinking straws and bottle tops are among the favourite stolen items, while bright blue parrot feathers, flowers and brown snail shells, make up the majority of decorations away from human habitation. The bower owner meticulously maintains it throughout the year. Both mature and immature males build bowers and display to prospective females.

On the arrival of a female, the male Satin Bowerbird leaps into a ritualised display of exaggerated movements, such as strutting and bowing, with wings outstretched and quivering, and accompanied by a variety of mechanical-sounding calls, such as buzzing and rattling interspersed with mimicry. One of the bower decorations is usually carried in the male's bill. If impressed, the female moves into the bower avenue for mating and then leaves to perform the nesting duties on her own, while the male readies himself for courting more prospective females.

The bower is more like a bachelors pad as the female builds a nest of sticks in a tree or bush, up to 30 m – 35 m above the ground.

Cheers

Dennis

Very interesting commentary, Dennis. Your two shots really show off the beauty of this bird. Very nice work!

paul katinas wrote in post #19369742
Virginia Rail
Happy trails

fotoi wrote in post #19369758
Canada goose

Tom in Arizona wrote in post #19369817
Northern Cardinal...

steveb108 wrote in post #19369836
Spent nearly a week at a lake in Texas with multiple Anhingas present but could never get a lens on one. Returned home, walked by a postage stamp-sized pond in Central Maryland and there's one sunning itself. "Right time, right place" felt so good.

Kedleson wrote in post #19369845
A stellar blue jay in the so CA mountains. They eat from my hand after trying for about a month!
IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2mLn​1wJ Time for a snack! by Karon Elliott Edleson, on Flickr

BlueTraveler wrote in post #19369847
Great Horned owlet takes its first short hop out of the nest.

Lame-Duck wrote in post #19369693
Nicely captured, Pipan! Butcherbirds have always fascinated me. Our butcherbirds (Northern Shrikes) appear to be much smaller than yours.

Very nice, colorful drake mallard shot, fotoi!

Superb capture of the great horned-owl family, Tom!

Great shot, nice setting, Dave!

Wow, what a terrific shot of this beauty, Steve!

These birds are so gorgeous, Dennis! You really photographed them beautifully!

Wow...the seldom seen ruby-crowned kinglet (at least for me). Outstanding close-up capture, Jimmy!

Lovely capture, John! Really beautiful!

Lame-Duck wrote in post #19369876
Paul...these are two very nicely captured shots of the Virginia Rail! I've only seen them a time or two. Never have I had a camera with me.

Excellent Canada goose shot, fotoi! Very sharp with beautiful, vivid color!

Perfect timing on this shot, Tom! Very appealing.

I can't get over how striking looking this anhinga's looks! I keep going back to look at your image.

Very nice shot, Kedleson! I've always enjoyed the stellar jays. They have so much personality.

Excellent capture, Mike! Very sharp image.