21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Plastic Bower bird display

The display court of the Vogelkop bowerbird in the Arfak mountains, West Papua is unbelievable. The male builds an enormous 2 metre house of grass around a vertical branch. He then proceeds to decorate the ground in front of the bower. Traditionally fruits, berries, flowers, and fungi were used, but nowadays discarded plastic is sadly used.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2022
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Indonesia
Camera: Canon EOS R3
Copyright: © Conrad Dickinson