AnimalTracks.wiki

What the sources say

Satin BowerbirdPtilonorhynchus violaceus

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Satin Bowerbird profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 45 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

Profile updated

Source
01

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018

Ptilonorhynchus violaceus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22703679A130219832.

The page saysThe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species rates the satin bowerbird Least Concern
The source saysIUCN Red List category: Least Concern (LC).

Source
02

Birds in Backyards

Satin Bowerbird. Birds in Backyards.

The page saysStick-avenue builder, blue-object collector, and a courtship act of buzzes, rattles and mimicry
The source saysThis consists of two parallel walls of sticks ... The male decorates it with bright blue coloured objects that it collects ... accompanied by a variety of mechanical-sounding calls, such as buzzing and rattling interspersed with mimicry
The page saysWetter forests and woodlands, and nearby open areas, along most of Australia's eastern and south-eastern coast
The source saysSatin Bowerbirds are found along most of the eastern and south-eastern coast of Australia. Habitat: Satin Bowerbirds prefer the wetter forests and woodlands, and nearby open areas
The page saysMostly fruit year-round, plus insects in the breeding season and often leaves in winter
The source saysSatin Bowerbirds feed mostly on fruits throughout the year. During summer (breeding) the diet is supplemented with a large number of insects, while leaves are often eaten during the winter months.
The page saysBuilds a twin-walled stick avenue bower and decorates it with blue objects to attract females
The source saysbuilding and decorating a bower to attract females. This consists of two parallel walls of sticks ... The male decorates it with bright blue coloured objects that it collects
The page saysA satin bowerbird is a stocky, medium-sized bird of Australia's eastern coast
The source saysWhat shape is the bird?: Heavyset ... Satin Bowerbirds are medium-sized birds. ... Satin Bowerbirds are found along most of the eastern and south-eastern coast of Australia.
The page saysIt measures 27 to 33 centimetres long
The source saysMinimum Size: 27cm Maximum Size: 33cm
The page saysabout 204 grams on average
The source saysAverage size: 30cm Average weight: 204g
The page saysThe adult male is glossy blue-black
The source saysThe adult male has striking glossy blue-black plumage ... Younger males and females are similar in colour to each other, and are collectively referred to as 'green' birds.
The page saysYounger males and females look alike, olive-green above and off-white with dark scalloping below, and are known as "green" birds
The source saysYounger males and females are similar in colour to each other, and are collectively referred to as 'green' birds. They are olive-green above, off-white with dark scalloping below
The page saysA young male may begin to grow his adult feathers in his fifth year, but he isn't fully "attired" in blue-black until he is seven
The source saysYoung males may begin to acquire their adult plumage in their fifth year and are not fully 'attired' until they are seven.
The page saysTo attract females, a male builds a bower on the ground: two parallel walls of sticks with an avenue between them
The source saysbuilding and decorating a bower to attract females. This consists of two parallel walls of sticks, is built on the ground ... the female moves into the bower avenue for mating
The page saysHe decorates it with blue objects he collects
The source saysThe male decorates it with bright blue coloured objects that it collects
The page saysAway from people, most decorations are bright blue parrot feathers, flowers and brown snail shells
The source saysbright blue parrot feathers, flowers and brown snail shells, make up the majority of decorations away from human habitation
The page saysNear people, his favourite stolen items include blue clothes pegs, drinking straws and bottle tops
The source saysblue clothes pegs, drinking straws and bottle tops are among the favourite stolen items, while bright blue parrot feathers, flowers and brown snail shells, make up the majority of decorations away from human habitation
The page saysWhen a female arrives, the male leaps into a set routine of exaggerated moves, such as strutting and bowing with his wings outstretched and quivering
The source saysOn the arrival of a female, the male Satin Bowerbird leaps into a ritualised display of exaggerated movements, such as strutting and bowing, with wings outstretched and quivering
The page saysHe usually holds one of his decorations in his bill and gives mechanical-sounding buzzing and rattling calls mixed with mimicry
The source saysaccompanied by a variety of mechanical-sounding calls, such as buzzing and rattling interspersed with mimicry. One of the bower decorations is usually carried in the male's bill.
The page saysIf she is impressed, she moves into the avenue to mate, then leaves to nest on her own
The source saysIf impressed, the female moves into the bower avenue for mating and then leaves to perform the nesting duties on her own
The page saysSatin bowerbirds live along most of Australia's eastern and south-eastern coast
The source saysSatin Bowerbirds are found along most of the eastern and south-eastern coast of Australia.
The page saysThey prefer the wetter forests and woodlands and nearby open areas, though birds around the Atherton Tableland live largely in rainforest
The source saysSatin Bowerbirds prefer the wetter forests and woodlands, and nearby open areas, although those around the Atherton Tableland are largely rainforest inhabitants.
The page saysFruit makes up most of the diet throughout the year
The source saysSatin Bowerbirds feed mostly on fruits throughout the year.
The page saysIn summer, the breeding season, they also eat a large number of insects, and in winter they often eat leaves
The source saysDuring summer (breeding) the diet is supplemented with a large number of insects, while leaves are often eaten during the winter months.
The page saysSeven years
The source saysA male Satin Bowerbird only develops his wonderful satiny sheen after seven years.
The page saysYounger males look like females: olive-green above and off-white with dark scalloping below
The source saysYounger males and females are similar in colour to each other, and are collectively referred to as 'green' birds. They are olive-green above, off-white with dark scalloping below
The page saysA young male may begin to grow his adult feathers in his fifth year, but he isn't fully "attired" until he is seven
The source saysYoung males may begin to acquire their adult plumage in their fifth year and are not fully 'attired' until they are seven.
The page sayscourtship song mixes mechanical-sounding buzzes and rattles with calls copied from other species
The source saysaccompanied by a variety of mechanical-sounding calls, such as buzzing and rattling interspersed with mimicryNote: vibe.reason, settled in #274: replaces 'dramatic emotional architecture', which named no mechanism

Source
03

Australian Museum 2022

Satin Bowerbird. Australian Museum, 2022.

The page saysHe paints the walls with a mixture of chewed plant matter and saliva, and maintains the bower meticulously throughout the year
The source saysA mixture of chewed vegetable matter and saliva is used to paint the walls of the bower. The bower owner meticulously maintains it throughout the year.
The page saysHe uses a mixture of chewed plant matter and saliva to paint the walls of his bower, and he maintains the bower meticulously throughout the year
The source saysA mixture of chewed vegetable matter and saliva is used to paint the walls of the bower. The bower owner meticulously maintains it throughout the year.

Source
04

BirdLife Australia

Satin Bowerbird. BirdLife Australia.

The page saysWhere blue items are hard to find, he occasionally adds other colours, especially greenish-yellow
The source saysOccasionally objects of different colours, especially greenish-yellow, are also used where blue items are difficult to procure.
The page saysTo help attract a mate
The source saysThese are carefully arranged around the bower to assist the male to attract a mate.
The page saysA male decorates his bower with all kinds of blue objects, collected nearby and sometimes from farther away
The source saysSatin Bowerbirds are renowned for decorating their bowers with all manner of blue objects collected from the vicinity of the bower and sometimes from farther afield.
The page saysThey can include parrot feathers, flowers, seed pods, fruits, butterfly wings, and human-made items such as pens, matchboxes, string, marbles and pieces of glass
The source saysThese odds and ends may comprise feathers from parrots, flowers, seed pods and fruits, butterfly wings and artificial items such as ball-point pens, matchboxes, string, marbles and pieces of glass.
The page saysWhere blue is hard to find, he occasionally uses other colours, especially greenish-yellow
The source saysOccasionally objects of different colours, especially greenish-yellow, are also used where blue items are difficult to procure.

Source
05

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Bowerbird. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

The page saysweighs 170 to 290 grams
The source saysHeaviest: Satin bowerbird weighs 5.9 to 10.2 ounces (170 to 290 grams)
The page saysIt is the heaviest bowerbird
The source saysSIZE Largest: Archbold's bowerbird is 15 inches (37 centimeters) long Heaviest: Satin bowerbird weighs 5.9 to 10.2 ounces (170 to 290 grams)
The page saysBoth males and females are known to live 20 to 30 years
The source saysboth males and female satin bowerbirds are known to live 20 to 30 years

Source
06

Doucet et al. 2006

Doucet et al. (2006). Iridescent plumage in satin bowerbirds: structure, mechanisms and nanostructural predictors of individual variation in colour. Journal of Experimental Biology.

The page saysHis shine is built in layers
The source saysIn birds, iridescent colours are produced by feather barbules when light is scattered from alternating layers of keratin, melanin and air. ... the glossy, ultraviolet-blue iridescent plumage colouration of adult male satin bowerbirds
The page saysScientists looked at feathers from adult males of one subspecies under an electron microscope
The source saysHere we use electron microscopy, spectrometry and thin-film optical modeling to investigate the glossy, ultraviolet-blue iridescent plumage colouration of adult male satin bowerbirds Ptilonorhynchus violaceus minor.
The page saysThe tiny strands on each feather, called barbules, are flat. They have an outer layer of keratin (the protein feathers are made of) over a layer of melanin, a dark pigment, several granules thick
The source saysThe flattened barbules of adult males are composed of a superficial keratin layer overlying a melanin layer that is several granules thick.
The page saysLight waves scattering off these layers combine to make the glossy ultraviolet-blue shine
The source saysIridescence is produced by coherent scattering of light waves from alternating layers of materials of different refractive indices. ... the glossy, ultraviolet-blue iridescent plumage colouration of adult male satin bowerbirds
The page sayssmall differences in the barbules can predict differences in colour between males
The source sayswe found that individual variation in barbule nanostructure can predict measured variation in both hue and UV-chroma

Source
07

Patricelli, Uy & Borgia 2003

Patricelli, Uy & Borgia (2003). Multiple male traits interact: attractive bower decorations facilitate attractive behavioural displays in satin bowerbirds. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences.

The page saysSuccessful males give aggressive, intense displays without startling the female
The source sayssuccessful males give highly aggressive, intense behavioural displays without startling females
The page saysHe adjusts to her crouching, which signals how intense a display she will tolerate
The source saysMales do this by modulating their displays in response to female crouching, which signals the display intensity that females will tolerate without being startled.
The page saysResearchers found evidence that females are less likely to be startled by males with better bower decorations, which helps those males succeed
The source saysfinding evidence that females are less likely to be startled by males with better physical displays (bower decorations), and this reduced startling then contributes to male courtship success

Source
08

Coleman et al. 2007

Coleman et al. (2007). Female preferences drive the evolution of mimetic accuracy in male sexual displays. Biology Letters.

The page sayswhose mating success is tied to how accurately he copies them
The source saysthe accuracy of vocal mimicry and the number of model species mimicked are both independently related to male mating successNote: vibe.reason, settled in #274; 'tied to' for 'related to'

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.