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Bower Power
Photograph by Dr. Gerald Borgia
Ball of foil, bits of paper, strands of thread—this bird's bower seems to need a good cleaning. But male bowerbirds of Australia (this one a spotted species) actually decorate their stick-and-grass creations with litter—the more color and shine the better—to lure females. A stage for males' song-and-dance courtship displays, the decked-out structures also act as a barrier between the sexes, allowing females to eye potential mates safely and escape from those that fail to impress.
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