Overview
- The University of Exeter study published in Royal Society Open Science on June 2, 2026 found that male great bowerbirds in Townsville City use many more human-made decorations than rural birds.
- Researchers monitored 61 males during the 2023 breeding season at an urban site and a rural site, photographed decorations in visible and UV light to match female vision, and recorded item sources.
- Urban bowers held about five times more items on average (roughly 90 versus 20) and were more than ten times likelier to include human-made objects such as glass, plastic and wire.
- In a controlled swap experiment both urban and rural males overwhelmingly picked human-made plastic and glass over natural materials, showing an active preference rather than only reflecting availability.
- The study documents altered visual signals but did not test whether human-made decorations affect female choice, mating success, survival risks or long-term ecological consequences, which the authors identify as the next research steps.