Satin Bower Bird

Female Satin Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

The Satin Bowerbird is the best know of Australia's Bowebirds and can be found along the coast of New South Wales and Southern Queensland. I had seen the male in the Royal National Park on a number of occasions (record shot inside) but hadn't been able to see the female until recently. Due to its size and calls, it is relatively easy to identify as it draws attention to itself. I was able to tick off the female Bowerbird on our trip to the Barrington tops. A number of females Bowerbirds frequented the area near where we stayed and provided me with a number of opportunities to photograph them.

More images after the jump.

Male Satin Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

The photograph of the male above was a record shot taken in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney. A better shot of a male Satin Bowerbird is on my shot list! Both male and female juvenile Satin Bowerbirds look like the female to being with. The male starts changing around the third year with the overall blue-black plumage not appearing until the seventh year. 

Female Satin Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

The Bowerbirds have bright lilac coloured eyes which make them unmistakable.   They are usually seen in rainforests and wet eucalyptus forests but move out to more open woodlands throughout the autumn and winter months. 

Female Satin Bowerbird - Ptilonorhynchus violaceus

The photographs of the female Satin Bowerbird were captured with a Canon 7D and the 100-400mm lens. A Canon 400D was used for the photograph of the male.