Male bowerbirds hope to dazzle females with bright human-made items

• 01University of Exeter researchers monitored bowers of 61 male great bowerbirds at two Australian sites—rural Dreghorn Cattle Station and urban Townsville City—during September–December 2023.
• 02Rural bowerbirds most often used green glass and green leaves or seeds for decoration, while urban birds preferred green glass and red wire.
• 03Urban bower decorations were more than 10 times more likely to be human-made than rural bowers.
• 04Urban bowers averaged 90 items per bower compared to 20 for rural birds; one urban male gathered 300 items.
• 05Both urban and rural male bowerbirds showed a strong preference for human items when given a choice of items sourced from each environment.
• 06Researchers found specific human items at urban bowers including handcuffs, medicine jars near a hospital, and fluorescent mouth guards near an Australian Rules football ground.
• 07Red decorations in urban bowers were more vivid and green items duller than in rural bowers.
• 08The study did not measure differences in male mating success relative to use of human-made materials, though prior research indicated higher male display and mating rates in urban versus rural environments.

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University of Exeter researchers studying Australian great bowerbirds found that urbanization has significantly altered their courtship display behavior, with urban males using human-made items like glass and plastic for decorations more than 10 times as often as rural counterparts. Urban bowers contained an average of 90 items compared to 20 for rural birds, and both urban and rural males showed preference for human items when given a choice. Researchers noted the study did not determine whether these changes positively or negatively affect the birds' reproductive success or mate selection.