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Great Bowerbird (Chlamydera nuchalis) Alternate name(s): "Queensland Bowerbird", "Great Grey Bowerbird" Size: 33-38 cm Body mass: 165-240 g

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Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Great Bowerbirds are the largest Australian bowerbirds. Their plumage is cryptic. The front, from the throat to the undertail coverts, the forehead, sides of the head and flanks are all-grey. At the back of the head the males have a lilac to pink/purple nuchal crest. The nape of the neck and the rump are grey. The wing feathers are dark-grey, with grey edge lining. The tail is also dark-grey. The only difference between the two sexes is that females are smaller and often do not have a nuchal crest. The eyes have brown irises. The stout, decurved bill is dark-grey; the legs and feet are grey. Juveniles are more fawn-coloured where adults are grey and they do not have a crest.

Taxonomy, classification See Great Bowerbird at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Great Bowerbird is available HERE . Except for a narrow coastal strip along the East coast of Cape York peninsula, northward of about Cairns, QLD, Great Bowerbirds are found in tropical North Australia, roughly northward of a line connecting Broome, WA, in the West with Mt. Isa and Mackay, QLD, in the East. There are two races of Great Bowerbirds, both of which are endemic to tropical northern Australia. Nominate race "nuchalis" populates the Kimberley, WA, eastward of about Broome, WA, all of the Top End of the NT (to about the geographical latitude of Broome) and along the South coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, into western QLD. Their range ends to the North of Mt. Isa, QLD, and goes as far East as the Leichhardt River, QLD. Race "orientalis" is found to the East of the geographical longitude of the southern-most tip of the Gulf of Carpentaria, QLD, near the confluence of the Leichhardt River. They are found almost everywhere on Cape York peninsula (except a narrow eastern coastal strip). Their range extends southward to about the latitude of Mt. Isa, QLD (but does NOT include Mt. Isa). Great Bowerbirds have a preference for open forest and woodland, often near water courses.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "nuchalis" B. Hensen reports finding Great Bowerbirds, race "nuchalis", occasionally in various locations in and around Darwin, NT. We first spotted a Great Bowerbird, race "nuchalis", at Lake Copperfield near Pine Creek, NT, in August 2014. At least two Great Bowerbirds, race "nuchalis", were heard calling from dense shrubbery in dunes behind mangroves in an intertidal wetland at East Point, Darwin, NT, in August 2014. J. Greaves reports spotting several Great Bowerbirds, race "nuchalis", in various locations in northern Australia: at Alyangula, Groote Eylandt, NT, in September 2014; at the Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, in April 2015; at Maxwell Creek, Melville Island, off Darwin, NT, in November 2016. Several contributors have reported finding Great Bowerbirds, race "nuchalis", regularly at various, both coastal and inland, locations in the northern part of the NT. C. Pears finding Great Bowerbirds, race "nuchalis", regularly at Cable Beach, Broome, WA. Race "orientalis" M. Mearns reports spotting a Great Bowerbird, race "orientalis", in Weipa, near the confluence of the Embley River into the Gulf of Carpentaria, on the western side of Cape York peninsula, QLD, in October 2008. R. Russell finds Great Bowerbirds, race "orientalis", regularly at Mount Molloy, QLD. M. Eaton also found Great Bowerbirds, race "orientalis", at Mount Molloy, QLD, in July 2018, and at the Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, in August 2019. M. Mearns also found a Great Bowerbird, race "orientalis", at Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, in September 2019. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours reports spotting them at the same location in December 2020. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours also found Great Bowerbirds, race "orientalis", at Mareeba, QLD, in November 2023. C. Linfoot reports finding Great Bowerbirds, race "orientalis", occasionally at Hervey Range, near Townsville, QLD. This location is near the southern end of the species' range.

Photos

Race "nuchalis"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Male Great Bowerbirds, left, have a big, prominent, erectile pink/purple nuchal crest that is not found in females. In the field, the distinction between the sexes can be difficult because the males' crest can be hidden.

MALE

Near-frontal view of a male Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-frontal view of a male Great Bowerbird displaying its nuchal crest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a male Great Bowerbird displaying its nuchal crest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a male Great Bowerbird with its crest hidden (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a male Great Bowerbird displaying its nuchal crest (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]

Dorsal view of a male Great Bowerbird outside its bower (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, August 2013]

Close-up view of a male Great Bowerbird's nuchal crest (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, August 2013]

Male Great Bowerbird working on its bower; while not in display posture, the bird's nuchal crest is well-hidden
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Great Bowerbird with a fruit, possibly a native fig (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-lateral view of a female Great Bowerbird; note how much paler this bird is compared to the males shown above
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Lateral view of a female Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Katherine, NT, July 2020]

Lateral view of a female Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a female Great Bowerbird with a fruit, possibly a native fig (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Dorsal view of a female Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Dorsal view of a female Great Bowerbird inspecting fruit (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a Great Bowerbird; the bird's prominent yellow-orange gape indicates that it is probably a juvenile
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, April 2015]

Close-up near-lateral/ventral view of a juvenile(?) Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Pine Creek, NT, January 2020]

Lateral view of a Great Bowerbird; the remnant pale gape indicates that it is probably a juvenile bird - it seems to be scavenging (or collecting trinkets?) from the local rubbish tip (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Maxwell Creek, Melville Island, off Darwin, NT, November 2016]

Close-up near-dorsal/ventral view of a juvenile(?) Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Pine Creek, NT, January 2020]

Race "orientalis"

Note that field guides, even those showing the different races of Great Bowerbirds, do not describe brown-morphology birds that we interpret to be females of race "orientalis".

ADULT

MALE

Close-up near-frontal view of a male Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, December 2020]

Near-lateral view of a male Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, July 2018]

Lateral view of a male Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, July 2018]

FEMALE

Note that field guides, even those showing the different races of Great Bowerbirds, do not describe brown-morphology birds that we interpret to be females of race "orientalis".

Lateral view of a female Great Bowerbird looking backwards (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Carbine, QLD, October 2024]

Close-up lateral view of a female Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, December 2020]

Lateral view of a female Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Carbine, QLD, October 2024]

Lateral view of a female Great Bowerbird looking away from the observer - note the absence of a prominent lilac nuchal crest (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Carbine, QLD, October 2024]

Near-dorsal view of a female Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, September 2019]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Great Bowerbird; note the orange gape (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Juvenile Great Bowerbird learning how to open a seed pod; again note the orange gape (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Breeding information

Twitcher's tip

A bower is NOT a nest - it is a male bowerbird's courting alley. Nests, built exclusively by female bowerbirds, are in fact kept well away from active bowers.

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary/roaming

Elementary unit: Solitary

Male Great Bowerbirds are sedentary, females are roaming.

Whether or not a male Great Bowerbird's crest is visible depends on both viewing angle and the bird's state of excitement.

Various views of a male Great Bowerbird, showing that the crest is not always visible (photos courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Little Mertens Falls, WA, June 2026]

Bowers

Male Great Bowerbirds try to attract as many females to their territory, and thus their bower (which is a courting alley, not a nest), as they can.

After the careful application of one final trinket, a Great Bowerbird can, at least temporarily... (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Drysdale River Station, WA, June 2026]

... attain a state of absolute perfection, right? (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Drysdale River Station, WA, June 2026]

Other Great Bowerbird bowers clearly need further work; here a valuable addition is being collected... (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Golf Club, Kununurra, WA, June 2026]

... make that 2 (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Golf Club, Kununurra, WA, June 2026]

Now, then? No wait a tick... (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Golf Club, Kununurra, WA, June 2026]

... another stick... (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Golf Club, Kununurra, WA, June 2026]

... needs to go RIGHT HERE! Gihiiirls - ready! (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Golf Club, Kununurra, WA, June 2026]

Overview of a richly adorned Great Bowerbird's bower (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mount Carbine, QLD, October 2024]

Female Great Bowerbird inspecting a male's bower; he is watching her from the far side
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Mareeba, QLD, November 2023]

"What's he got here?!" (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Mareeba, QLD, November 2023]

View through the alley of a Great Bowerbird's bower
[Lake Copperfield, Pine Creek, NT, August 2014]

As opposed to the bowers of other species of bowerbird (e.g. Spotted Bowerbird), which are all open at the top, a Great Bowerbird's bower can be completely covered by a dome
[Lake Copperfield, Pine Creek, NT, August 2014]

Male Great Bowerbird re-arranging trinkets outside its bower; note the female inside the bower, inspecting it
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Darwin, NT, August 2013]

Bower of a male Great Bowerbird (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, September 2019]

Great Bowerbird's bower (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Abandoned Great Bowerbird bower (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Food, Diet

Frontal view of a Great Bowerbird with a native fig (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, June 2007]

Frontal view of a female Great Bowerbird with a fruit, possibly a native fig (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Near-frontal view of a Great Bowerbird with a fruit (photo courtesy of C. Linfoot)
[Hervey Range, near Townsville, QLD, May 2022]

Yeah... there are always those who can do better! Lateral view of a Great Bowerbird with two native figs
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, March 2011]

Close-up near-lateral view of a male Great Bowerbird dispatching a cicada (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) NP, QLD, December 2020]

Near-dorsal view of a female Great Bowerbird with a fruit, possibly a native fig (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]

Dorsal view of a female Great Bowerbird feeding on fruit (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2019]

Ventral view of a Great Bowerbird with a fruit (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, September 2018]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

grtbowr_cp_20260613.m4a	nuchalis (N WA)	Contact calls	© CP
grtbowr_pb_20181118.m4a	nuchalis (Inland NT)	Hissing/grunting calls (other birds in foreground)	© PB

More Great Bowerbird sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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