The Australian bowerbird is a thief. They like all the shiny things and things of a particular color. For Kim, his passion is all things white. Shoelaces, bracelets, flower petals, hats, or necklaces. If it is white, he needs it to adorn his bower. There are ten species of bowerbirds in Australia, with a total of 20 species worldwide.
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If you happen to visit Hartley’s Crocodile Wildlife Park, you might receive a warning about Kim, the greater bowerbird. With no fear of people, this wily little bird will think nothing of hitching a ride on your shoe as he puzzles out how to steal your shoelaces. “Watch out for Kim!”
In the bowerbird world, males build beautiful “dens of iniquity” called bowers. These elaborate bowers are designed to impress female bowerbirds and make them want to mate. The more intricate a bower is, the more “attractive” the male bird. A dull, lackluster bird will construct a truly elaborate and palatial bower to make up for his less than stunning personal appearance.
These guys are players, though. Once they mate, they typically abandon the female, allowing her to fly off and build a nest to lay their eggs. The male will try to attract and mate with as many females as possible. In their pursuit of things to decorate their bowers, these birds will steal from one another, trash another bird’s bower, and even steal from random hikers who stroll through their territory.
Kim will try to steal a bracelet right off the wrist of a hiker, which is why warning signs are posted. Needless to say, Kim did not disappoint. He made the predicted appearance and acted poorly, as mentioned in the warning.
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