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Archive for the 'Nature Break' Category
Pimpin’: The artful design of this bowerbird nest is intended to attract a mate. (Image courtesy of National Geographic.)
Over the weekend, I was working my way through my tower of unread magazines and stumbled into the most remarkable story in the July 2010 issue of National Geographic about bowerbirds. The birds are endemic to Australia and New Guinea and are known for their spectacular nests. The male of the species build these — adding all manner of decorative elements, from leaves to rocks to flowers — in the hopes of attracting a mate. Once the lady arrives, they mate. After their business is done, she takes off and he prepares the nest for the next bird in question. Interestingly, the nests aren’t actually used to live in or nurture young — they are intended merely as showpieces for courtship, making them the avian world’s version of a pleasure palace. (Like the stuff you see on Unhappy Hipsters.)
What’s most interesting to me are the aesthetics of the nest. The male birds dedicate their lives to create pleasing arrangements that might attract the female of the species, laying out Andy Goldsworthy-esque constructions of acorns, flowers and even detritus. (The latter look very Whitney Biennial.) One species, the satin bowerbird, even creates his own type of paint out of plant matter, which he then uses to shade (and flavor) the inside of his nest.
As Virginia Morell writes in the story:
Given all these talents, some researchers have attributed an aesthetic sense and the glimmerings of culture to bowerbirds, traits rarely suggested as found in any species aside from our own. (Some primates, such as chimpanzees and orangutans, are now regarded as having cultural traditions, but not aesthetics.)
Which means if you were feeling all superior because we as a species make art, you might want to reconsider your position. Like many artists working today, these little birds are making incredible works for the basest of reasons: they simply want to get laid.
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(The link to the National Geographic article has been quite glitchy. If you can’t pull up the story, find a summary and a short photo essay at NPR. But if you have the time, try to locate this issue at a library — because the photography and the story are both amazing.)
Above: Me. Pretending to be a badass. (Photo by Zach Stovall; borrowed from Florida Travel + Life.)
Last December, I escaped the art fairs in Miami early to spend several days camping and kayaking in the Ten Thousand Islands on assignment for Florida Travel + Life, where I serve as a semi-regular contributor. It was pretty awe-inspiring . By day, we explored the mangrove isles that make up much of the southwestern Florida coast. At night, we camped on small beaches, carbo-loaded and admired the stars. It was the perfect antidote to the overload of shiny baubles I’d just gorged on at the art fairs. I’m also pretty dang proud I managed to survive the physical demands of the trip (blogging doesn’t do much in the way of developing stamina), but I’m also pretty excited about the story that came out of it. I’ve been spending the last few years making regular Everglades pilgrimages and I’ve developed a real affection for it. It kind of bums me out that the many Miami types who live right on top of it rarely show it much appreciation.
You can find my story on this journey in the April 2010 edition of Florida Travel + Life (available at Barnes & Noble) or you can cheat and read the PDF version here. Though if you could support the mag — which helps support me, I’d be deeply appreciative.
If you’re interested in doing something similar, I would like to heartily recommend the wonderful folks at Everglades Area Tours, who not only organize some mighty fine kayaking excursions (there are day-trips in case you don’t do camping), but are super cool folks to boot. And if for some reason, you spend any time at all in South Florida (be it for art fairs or because you like to get butt facials), consider Michael Grunwald’s The Swamp required reading. No ifs, ands or buts.
In Tortuguero, on the country’s northeast coast – a network of lowland, rainforest canals (no roads) – with our 10-year-old boat captain, Toñito. I spent all day being hauled around by this incredible kid, who learned how to pilot a boat when he was four.
I’m on an industrial-strength deadline for a Lonely Planet guidebook right now – and am in the process of reliving my November trip to Costa Rica, where transport is always entertaining. I’ve put together a short video diary of a few memorable episodes. Sadly, I did not get any film of the one-armed taxi driver who took me – full speed – on a winding mountain road while talking on his cell phone and driving stick.
Catching a ride on the back of an ATV with Jason, on our way to the Green Gold lodge in Parismina, on the Atlantic Coast.
Making our way to Bajos del Toro in the Central Valley, with a little Janis cranking on the radio.