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Since the start of the survey in 1981, the Satin Bowerbird has become an increasingly frequent visitor to gardens in the southwest suburbs of Canberra, particularly Weston Creek, Kambah, Yarralumla and Pearce. There were no records in 1981-82, one 1982-83 and a few in the next five years. Numbers increased in 1989-1990 and this has continued, somewhat unevenly, during the survey period.

In parts of these suburbs the birds are now quite common, particularly during winter. The reason for this change is likely to relate to winter food resources as birds leave their favoured wet forest habitat west of the Murrumbidgee Corridor for the adjacent suburbs. Birds are known to visit gardens with feeding tables or with ornamental trees with ripe fruit and/or vegetable patches. They prefer the bushier mature gardens with shrubby undercover.

Numbers show a strong seasonal pattern with a June-August peak and a summer minimum of about one tenth the winter numbers. There are several published articles and many anecdotal reports of the birds building bowers in gardens. The males display at them and rivalry between bowers results in much destruction and rebuilding.

The female is known to be solely responsible for nest building, and raising the young at some distance from the bower. There are few records of this in the ACT. R=83. BR=NA.
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