Scientific Name: Sericulus chrysocephalus

Surely, one of the most stunningly coloured of all birds, the male regent bowerbird is unmistakable in his livery of jet black with vivid orange-yellow wings, neck and crown of the head. The eye is also bright yellow. The female by comparison is a dull fawn-brown with darker flecks and bars and a distinctive black patch on the back of the head.

Did You Know? In the bowerbird family there is a definite pattern where the more colourful birds tend to build less elaborate bowers. The regent bowerbird is a good example of this, its beautiful plumage making up for the relatively plain and simple bower. The fawn-breasted bowerbird (Chlamydera cerviniventris) on the other hand, is a dull brown bird yet builds an intricate structure involving an extensive platform of twigs into which the main bower is incorporated.

Habitat: The rainforests of coastal eastern Australia are the home of this species, ranging from Gosford, New South Wales in the south to central Queensland.

Diet: Fruits and berries are the preferred food, although this may be seasonally supplemented with insects and new plant shoots and leaves.

Reproduction: The bower in this species is an untidy collection of twigs forming an open tunnel decorated with yellow or red ornaments, both natural and man-made. The male performs an elaborate dance to attract the female to the bower for mating. The nest, which is constructed by the female, is a platform of twigs and she then carries out all domestic duties from incubation to raising the chicks. These two tasks take around six weeks to complete.