A comprehensive account of the natural history, architecture, art, history of discovery and human appreciation of the most incredible of all birds. Written and illustrated, with over 300 images, by two dedicated world authorities who have studied and photographed the amazing bowerbirds over 30 years.

The bowerbirds are famed for their unique bower-building behaviour which, in some species, can be a complex construction of sticks and other vegetable matter that can grow to two metres or so in diameter and about one and a half metres high. Many species are also accomplished mimics, and are able to copy the calls of other bird species, other natural and mechanical sounds and even human speech. These fascinating birds are confined to Australia and New Guinea and, due to the difficulty in accessing certain areas of their distribution, the study of their habits has been challenging. This book aims to condense the published knowledge acquired by ornithologists that have studied the bowerbirds since their discovery, and deliver it in a format suitable for natural history enthusiasts at any level.

First published in the United Kingdom by Helm/Bloomsbury in 2019.

In 'Bowerbird', Sibella Court reveals her very personal and surprising approach to collecting and collections. She shows how to procure the elements of a collection, how to organise and store them, and how to display them in creative and everchanging ways.

This handbook lays out the science behind how animals think, remember, create, calculate, and remember. It provides concise overviews on major areas of study such as animal communication and language, memory and recall, social cognition, social learning and teaching, numerical and quantitative abilities, as well as innovation and problem solving. The chapters also explore more nuanced topics in greater detail, showing how the research was conducted and how it can be used for further study. The authors range from academics working in renowned university departments to those from research institutions and practitioners in zoos. The volume encompasses a wide variety of species, ensuring the breadth of the field is explored.

In this brand new guide, renowned experts Clifford and Dawn Frith include all the latest scientific discoveries on every aspect of the bowerbird family. These fascinating and complex birds, found in New Guinea and Australia, are characterized by their unique and intricate 'bowers' which the males build and decorate to entice and woo the females. Beautifully illustrated with colour plates and line drawings, The Bowerbirds will be welcomed by all ornithologists, and particularly by those with an interest in the birds of Australasia.

Previous edition by Bruce M. Beehler, Thane K. Pratt, and Dale A. Zimmerman.

Binky Bowerbird is on a mission to find his true love. While the other bowerbirds find their mates with their beautifully decorated bowers, Binky seems to have trouble finding someone who appreciates his unique tastes. Will Binky Bowerbird find a mate who sees the world quite like he does?

Exploring the sex life of birds and their wide range of fascinating mating and parenting habits, this comprehensive study gives you a detailed insight into bird family life. Discover the amazing array of courtship techniques employed by birds around the world, such as ospreys bringing gifts of food in exchange for sex, male skylarks performing aerial acrobatics to impress females, or long-tailed widowbirds showing off their tails to advertise the quality of their genes. But it's not all about males seeking to impress or dominate females: sex roles can be reversed, and the book includes examples such as the black coucal, whose females leave the males to perform all childcare duties. The essential guide to bird family life, Bird Love is richly illustrated with stunning colour photographs, and regular Backyard Bird boxes in each chapter showcase familiar species from around the world. There is also an index and further reading at the back of the book for those wanting to learn more about the many different species of birds in this book! Bird Love covers a whole host of unique bird mating and parenting habits, from practical to peculiar, and is divided into sections on: Ecology and Mating Systems, Courtship, Nests and Eggs, Raising Chicks, Sex Role Reversals, Group Breeding, Brood Parasitism. From female hornbills who seal themselves in to their tree hollow nests, relying on their mates to deliver food through a narrow slit, to the eclectus parrots of Melanesia, whose females fight each other to secure a home due to the limited availability of nesting spots, and who can if succesful enjoy up to seven mates, this book is filled with wild stories of the lengths birds will go to survive and thrive in the wild. Varying levels of parental care are revealed, from both parents having to provide constant care to allowing an insurance chick to die to ensure at least one survives. And either sex can desert the nest in search of further matings to secure another clutch of chicks and the continuation of their family line. Brood parasitism, where birds such as cuckoos and cowbirds lay their eggs in other birds' nests, takes absentee parenting to the extreme and the book explores how these species have evolved to delegate all parental care. Alongside, it also shows how host species have cleverly developed a wide range of tactics to defend their nests and their own families. This complete guide is the ultimate study in the mating and parenting lives of birds of all kinds, and is the perfect gift for either a seasoned ornithologist or an amateur bird fancier. Stunning photographs accompany the deep scientific knowledge of author Wenfei Tong, making this a must have for anyone interestered in avian life!