Conflict Resolution Network/South Asia - Hosted by ACRIS

Bower Bird Solution - by Sue Girard (19th October, 2009)

When I moved to Katoomba I was thrilled that we had a carefully crafted bower in our backyard right on the edge of our proposed Zone V – bushland. I knew very little about the Bowerbirds and was surprised to learn that there are 18 species worldwide. Four of which live in NSW, with the Blue Mountains being home to the Satin Bowerbird.

Both male and female satin bowerbirds have bright lilac-blue eyes, (and personally I’m a sucker for blue eyes); but here the similarities end. The mature male satin bowerbird is about 30 centimetres long, and his plumage is black with a glossy purple-blue sheen. Until he moults into this plumage during his seventh year, his plumage resembles that of the female.The female is slightly smaller, and she is coloured with green, grey-green, dusky brown and dark brown. Her underbody is buff to cream, marked with dark olive-grey to dusky grey crescents. This green makes great camouflage both in the bush and in my garden. Bowerbirds aren’t my only problem bird species, but they still manage to reduce my attempts to Obtain a yield considerably.

Living around forests and open woodlands Bowerbirds forage for fruit, leaves and insects. As a Permie growing fruit and vegetables in the middle of a World Heritage National  Park this causes some complications. ‘Eat your fill of insects’ I have told them ‘but leave my greens and fruit alone’ but alas they do not listen. All native species of birds and animals are protected in NSW with a few exceptions in small agricultural areas. I have tried many management ideas with the knowledge that actual control will be out of the question. Things like decoys which are said to work but I’ve decided this only lead to an increase in population numbers. (This is where you sacrifice a small section of the main crop as an alternative food source.)

Scaring devices: I have tried many forms:

• dangling CD’s and a commercial inflatable ball with silver bug eyes, that reflect light around the garden but of course don’t work on cloudy days. And from my observation Bowerbirds are out foragingaround dawn and dusk !
• a humming line that strung in the wind is slightly noisy.Sadly my garden is pretty sheltered most of the year, or reversely the plastic ‘line’ tends to break when the westerly wind’s come.
• a metal cat with a shine glass eye. Alas the birds don’t see overly concerned by the local cat let along one that fails to move at all.
• the hawk-shaped kite quickly disintegrated in the sun and the rain

Small scale netting was the most effective; but required a lot of handling to harvest food and then re-net the plants.

Yesterday my all female team of enthusiastic workers started on building a walk-in ‘anti-aviary’. It will take another afternoon (or so) to complete the chicken wire surrounds. I have yet to order the netting for the roof or the doors, but it has a fabulous feel even now.

Photos to follow.