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Webster 1913 Edition
Bower bird
Bow′er birdˊ
.(Zool.)
An Australian bird (
Ptilonorhynchus violaceus
or Ptilonorhynchus holosericeus
), allied to the starling. The male constructs singular bowers or playhouses of twigs and decorates them with bright-colored objects to attract females; the satin bird. ☞ The name is also applied to other related birds of the same region, having similar habits; as, the
spotted bower bird
(Chalmydodera maculata
), and the regent bird (Sericulus melinus
).