Discovery of Nests and the Egg of Archbold's Bowerbird Archboldia papuensis (Ptilonorhynchidae)

Abstract

The discovery of nests and an egg of Archbold's Bowerbird Archboldia papuensis was made in moss forest between 2600 and 2800 m above sea level at Tari Gap, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Five active and three old nests and their situations are described and measurements of all but one given. A single egg clutch description, measurements, weights, and photographs are presented. Twenty-three hours of observation established that only a female-plumaged , presumed female, bird incubated, and was photographed doing so. The nest and egg of Archbold's Bowerbird are most like those of the gardener bowerbirds Amblyornis spp. and the catbirds Ailuroedus spp.