A guide to the courtship rituals of some iconic Aussie lovebirds in NSW national parks
Did you know that about 90% of bird species worldwide raise their chicks in pairs, just like many humans? That’s pretty rare in the animal kingdom – only 3 to 5% of mammals, including us, couple up to raise their young together.
Australian birds are especially famous for their long-term partnerships, with a surprisingly low ‘divorce’ rate. Interestingly, these monogamous relationships aren’t always just about having babies.
Glossy black-cockatoos can take between two and seven years to reach sexual maturity, but they build strong bonds with their future mates long before they even think about reproducing.
Then, their partnership continues when they’re ready to settle down. Once she’s laid her egg, the female stays in the nest to keep it safe and warm, while her mate brings her food – only leaving the nest to eat once the chick is a week old.
After the young bird fledges, both parents feed it for around three to four months, with bub sticking with them until the next breeding season.
The stunning glossy black-cockatoo is listed as threatened in NSW. Your sightings can help us understand more about inland NSW’s significant but declining population. Every spring, in partnership with the Saving our Species program, we hold a glossy count in Pilliga Forest and Goonoo National Park - keep your eye on the NPWS website in the leadup to spring to find out how you can take part.
Many Aussie owls also form strong, monogamous bonds that last for life. Barking owls aren’t afraid of life-long commitment, and even communicate using their very own love language. The female makes soft bleating sounds when her mate brings her food, while the male uses lower–pitched, quieter barks around the nest, whispering his sweet nothings to call her for meals.
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Many species of penguins – including our very own little penguins – stick with their partner for life, with a ‘divorce’ rate of just 18%. That’s way lower than the human divorce rate in Australia!
Love is love: In 2018, Sphen and Magic, a same-sex gentoo penguin couple at Sydney Aquarium, made headlines for their unbreakable bond. After collecting pebbles to build a nest together, they were given a dummy egg to practise incubating ‒ and they absolutely nailed parenting. Later, the aquarium gave them real eggs to foster, and they successfully hatched and raised two chicks together that spring. Sphen has now sadly passed away, but he’s left behind a legacy that shows love can come in all shapes, right across the animal kingdom.
Moving in together is a big relationship milestone, but some birds take it to a whole new level.
Meet the malleefowl ‒ a bird that mates for life and sticks with its partner year-round, even outside the breeding season. The male malleefowl is the ultimate nest architect. He builds a huge volcano-shaped love nest made from earth and sand, which can be over 4m wide and 1m high. The female then lays her eggs deep inside the litter, where the heat from the decomposing vegetation incubates the eggs ‒ making them the most eco-friendly parents around!
The male takes his job seriously, too – he’s constantly checking his meticulously maintained nest’s temperature, ensuring it stays at a cosy 33°C. He even uses his beak and tongue to get the perfect reading.
While its endangered status in NSW means a sighting is very unusual, the malleefowl are known to live and breed in the south west of the state, including Mallee Cliffs National Park and north through to Mungo National Park.
A regular in many suburban gardens, the male Australian brush turkey – a relative of the malleefowl – builds impressive nests for his mate, too. He scratches together a mighty mound made of nearby leaf litter that’s tailor-made for egg incubation.
Mound builders like brush turkeys aren’t just building the perfect environment for their eggs; while they rake through large areas of leaf litter, searching for insects and worms, they’re also breaking up dry leaves and twigs and pushing them into the soil. This helps reduce the fuel for ground fires and during wildfires, and can even create safe havens for small animals.
Just a heads-up: Brush turkeys are a protected species, so be sure to give their nests plenty of space while you’re out and about. And while their numbers may seem plentiful where you live, one particular population in northern NSW and southern Queensland is actually endangered.
If you think spraying a bit of Lynx and gelling your hair is going all out for the pursuit of love, just wait until you hear what some Aussie birds will do to attract a mate.
Satin bowerbirds are the ultimate Casanovas of the bird world. These creative guys weave intricate display areas, known as bowers, out of twigs and go pretty big with the decorations. Using charcoal, saliva and colourful objects, they make their bowers as flashy as possible to catch the eye of a potential mate. It’s no wonder bowerbirds are considered some of the most advanced birds around!
Unlike nests, bowers are purely for show – think of them as bird bachelor pads. When they’re not out feeding, the males are hanging out in their bowers, calling out to attract females and keeping rivals at bay.
Ranger tip: If you see a bird that’s injured or in distress outside of national parks, it’s a good idea to report it to a wildlife rescue organisation like WIRES.
Lyrebirds don’t just rely on their looks or songs to impress. The superb lyrebird takes courtship to the next level, with an elaborate ritual centred around their dazzling display mounds. The male scratches together a mound of earth and uses it as a stage to woo the ladies. Each male rotates between around 10 to 15 of these specially-crafted mounds – measuring up to 90cm wide and 15cm high – which are scattered across his territory. When it’s showtime, he stands on a mound, spreads his tail over his head, and belts out a powerful song that can go on for up to 20 minutes!
The elusive Albert’s lyrebird has a similar routine, though instead of a mound, he builds a ‘courtship arena’ – it’s a whole thing. Male Albert’s lyrebirds put on quite a show, lifting their tail feathers forward over their head, creating a lacy curtain of feathers. As they perform, they peer through this feathered veil, carefully watching for any signs of female interest (and keeping an eye out for predators, too).
Did you know? Although they’re tricky to spot in the wild, you’ll probably notice the lyrebird in every NSW national park you step foot in. That’s because lyrebirds are featured on our official ‘shield’, so you’ll see them on rangers’ uniforms and signage throughout our parks.
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When choosing courtship arenas, male Albert’s lyrebireds look for areas with an optimal arrangement of entangled vines. Then, when they’re grooving, they step on the vines, causing the surrounding thicket to shake in a rhythmic pattern with each step. The songs vary between Albert's lyrebird populations, so each performance is unique to the area – making it even more special.
Both the superb and Albert’s lyrebirds put on their displays from May to August, with breeding peaking in June and July. Though the males are great at attracting females, they leave all the nest-building, incubating, and chick-rearing to the females.
There are plenty of birdwatching opportunities in NSW national parks. If you’re out birdwatching, always keep a safe and appropriate distance from birds. You should particularly avoid disturbing birds while they’re feeding, roosting or nesting – which can really stress them out.
Birds are giving us a run for our money when it comes to gender equality. While women are often the primary caregivers in many human cultures, among some birds, it’s the blokes taking on the bulk of the parenting.
The plains-wanderer has some pretty unique characteristics that flip traditional gender norms upside down. Female plains-wanderers are larger and more brightly coloured than their male counterparts, with a chestnut patch on their breast and a black-and-white collar around the neck.
They also take the lead during courtship. When conditions are right, the females establish their breeding territory by calling out to potential mates nearby. When they meet up, it’s the female who struts her stuff – bowing to her partner as an invitation to courtship, and showing off her black-and-white spotted collar and rusty red plumage to impress the male.
Once she lays her eggs, the male takes over the primary parenting duties, including incubating the eggs and raising the young. After the eggs are hatched, she’ll move on, often in search of a new mate. This mating system allows female plains-wanderers to mate several times in a season, while the males focus on caring for their offspring.
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With wild plains-wanderer numbers dipping below 1,000, conservationists have taken a big step to protect one of Australia’s most endangered birds. In a game-changing effort, led by the NSW Government’s Saving our Species program, zoo-bred plains-wanderers were released onto private properties in the Riverina and Oolambeyan National Park. Some of these birds were fitted with tiny, solar-powered satellite backpacks – the first time this tech has been used to track plains-wanderers. This will give researchers invaluable insight into the movements and behaviours of these elusive birds in their natural habitat.
Emus also forgo traditional gender roles. After the female lays her eggs, she leaves the parenting to the male. She’ll either wander off to join a group of non-breeding birds or find another mate to lay another clutch of eggs. The male is left to incubate the eggs for eight to 10 weeks, rarely leaving the nest and losing quite a bit of weight in the process. Now that’s commitment! Once the chicks hatch, dad sticks with them for up to two years, raising them on his own.
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The coastal emu, a genetically isolated population in NSW, is officially endangered and holds deep cultural significance for the Yaegl, Gumbaynggirr, and Bundjalung First Nations peoples. Once roaming widely across the state’s northeast, fewer than 50 of these rare emus remain in this population. They’re now only found in small pockets between Evans Head, Red Rock, and Bungawalbin, making conservation efforts critical to their survival.
So, next time you’re exploring one of our stunning NSW national parks, keep an eye (and ear) out for these masters of love. Whether you’re inspired by their dedication or just in awe of their epic courtship rituals, Australia’s birds are couple goals.
And remember, if you spot any of these iconic lovebirds, especially endangered species like the plains-wanderer or coastal emu, your sightings could help support important conservation efforts. Keep your eyes peeled, your distance respectful, and who knows – you might just witness some of Australia’s best love stories.
