There are 20 species of birds in this family. They are found in the forests of Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.

They are 9-15 inches in length and have rounded wings; short, straight to slightly curved bills; and sturdy legs and feet.

They range in color from browns and blacks to blues, greens, oranges, and yellows. Males are usually more colorful than females.

The most unique feature of bowerbirds is the courtship behavior of males. Males build elaborate bowers to attract females. These bowers are made on the forest floor with leaves, grass, twigs, and moss.

The bowers are often decorated with feathers, berries, flowers, shells, stones, and any other brightly colored or shiny object the bowerbird can find, like coins, bottle caps, and aluminum foil.

One species of bowerbird, the satin bowerbird, even paints the wall of its bower with chewed berries. The satin bowerbird is especially fond of blue objects.