bowerbird
noun
bow·er·bird
ˈbau̇(-ə)r-ˌbərd 
: any of a family (Ptilonorhynchidae) of passerine birds of Australia and New Guinea in which the male builds a chamber or passage arched over with twigs and grasses, often adorned with bright-colored objects, and used especially to attract the female
Examples of bowerbird in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One standout is Sebastian, a bowerbird in Australia who arranges trash—including toy handcuffs and bottle caps—outside his stick tunnel to impress a mate.
—
Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
The male bowerbird follows the same principle as many men: Show off in every possible way.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
In the forests of Australia, the male great bowerbird uses the same effect to woo his mate.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 19 Jan. 2012
In nearly every species of bowerbird, males impress females by building elaborate structures called bowers: long, twiggy corridors that open to a courtyard decorated with small objects.
—Kat McGowan, Discover Magazine, 10 July 2012
Ochre decoration requires far more complicated cognitive processes than, for example, an Australasian bowerbird arranging sparkling glass and other baubles around its nest to attract a mate.
—Agustín Fuentes, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2020
The bowerbird, which lives on the east coast of Australia, has an abiding eye for anything blue.
—Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 5 Jan. 2023
Here is a nest built by a satin bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata) and decorated with blue flowers, berries, and bits of plastic.
—Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2011
This chromatic fealty is less a matter of design sense than of courtship; the behavior is just one of the bowerbird’s mating tactics.
—Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 5 Jan. 2023
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Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025
The male bowerbird follows the same principle as many men: Show off in every possible way.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
In the forests of Australia, the male great bowerbird uses the same effect to woo his mate.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 19 Jan. 2012
In nearly every species of bowerbird, males impress females by building elaborate structures called bowers: long, twiggy corridors that open to a courtyard decorated with small objects.
—Kat McGowan, Discover Magazine, 10 July 2012
Ochre decoration requires far more complicated cognitive processes than, for example, an Australasian bowerbird arranging sparkling glass and other baubles around its nest to attract a mate.
—Agustín Fuentes, Discover Magazine, 28 Feb. 2020
The bowerbird, which lives on the east coast of Australia, has an abiding eye for anything blue.
—Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 5 Jan. 2023
Here is a nest built by a satin bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata) and decorated with blue flowers, berries, and bits of plastic.
—Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2011
This chromatic fealty is less a matter of design sense than of courtship; the behavior is just one of the bowerbird’s mating tactics.
—Chris Wheatley, Longreads, 5 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Bowerbird.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bowerbird. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bowerbird
noun
bow·er·bird
ˈbau̇(-ə)r-ˌbərd
: any of various birds of Australia and New Guinea of which the male builds a chamber or passage arched over with twigs and branches and often ornamented with bright-colored objects especially to attract the female
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