This painting was inspired by the prompt 'Treasure' for the Inktober challenge, a challenge for artists to create something in ink for every day of October. This is a male satin bowerbird, holding a 'treasure' (blue ribbon) in its bill.
I've had the privilege of witnessing Satin Bower-birds build and collect materials for their bower over several weeks, as well as their amazing mating call and dance. The males have striking glossy blue-black plumage, a pale bluish white bill and a violet-blue iris. Their bowers consisted of two parallel walls of sticks on the ground, with collected moss as a carpet. The male decorated it with bright blue colored objects including blue clothes pegs, straws, bottle tops, feathers, bailing twine etc. which was interesting considering we weren't near any town! Each day I would look at the bower and document it, each day the 'treasures' were rearranged!
The mating display is such a sight! On the arrival of a female, the male leaps into a ritualized dance, strutting and bowing, with wings outstretched and quivering, and accompanied by mechanical-sounding calls, such as buzzing and ticking. This whole time the male holds ones of its 'treasures' in its bill.