"And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air." Gen. 2:19.
In Australia and New Guinea there are 18 known varieties of bowerbirds. Some have descriptive names such as the stage maker, the spotted, the satin and the gardener and range in size from the nine-inch golden bower to the fifteen-inch Archbold's variety.
Many of them are very pretty with bright feathers of green, orange or other bold colors. The satin bower is one of these, as is the regent with its bright golden-yellow head, neck and wing patches offsetting a velvety black body. Others are plain gray or brown. All nest either in bushes or in holes of tree trunks where four or five eggs are laid. These hatch in about two weeks, and the little ones soon learn to find their food, which includes fruits, seeds, lizards, frogs, spiders, numerous insects and even small snakes.
The outstanding thing about these birds is the way the males build elaborate playhouses (called bowers). The most common type is located in bushy areas. The male first finds bushes where there are two straight rows of bare bush stalks that run parallel for several feet, a foot or more apart. The male busily covers these rows by attaching long twigs and grass, arched to make a dome overhead, then cleaning out the walkway beneath to provide a smooth "run." If really ambitious he may build more than one run and room of this kind, all connected together.
His next activity is to beautify these walls and coverings with brightly colored objects such as shells, bright feathers, flowers, colored leaves, pretty stones and anything else he can find. Some of these items will also be spread on the walkway underneath. The final touch is provided by bringing juicy berries, smashing them into pulp, and then with his beak painting it on the bare upright stalks. Each male decorates his bower with items of one color. The Australian varieties prefer blue, but they will use another color if necessary.
Since these unique birds do not learn how to make bowers from their parents, how do they learn to build and decorate them so cleverly? Of course they don't have to "figure it out," for the instinct that prompts them to do this was given by God when He created the bower-bird and placed it on the earth.
Considering how obedient they are to these instincts, perhaps we, too, should consider whether we are equally obedient to God's instructions to us. One of these tells us, "[God] now commandeth all men every where to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness." Acts 17:30,3130And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 31Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17:30‑31). Another Bible verse gives us this happy promise: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:99If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). Have you repented, confessed that you are a sinner, and accepted His wonderful salvation?