Male bowerbirds are notorious for their complex mating rituals. They build intricate tunnels out of twigs—the bowers from which they get their name—and then decorate them with random colorful items gleaned from the environment. When a female of the species shows up to check out a male's fancy digs, the male tosses his shiniest objects in her direction and shows off his plumage in hopes of impressing her.

According to a new paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science by University of Exeter scientists, urbanization and the associated growing availability of brightly colored human-made items have had a significant impact on courtship display behavior in Australian male bowerbirds. There are marked differences in the choice of decorations for bowerbirds in urban versus rural environments. This might be because urban birds simply have greater access to the items than their rural counterparts, since birds in both environments show a marked preference for human items.

The University of Exeter researchers monitored the bowers of 61 male great bowerbirds in two sites in Australia's northern Queensland—the rural Dreghorn Cattle Station and the urban Townsville City—during the prime breeding season (September–December 2023). Then they photographed the bower decorations in situ from above in both visible and UV light (bowerbirds can see in the UV range), using an umbrella to create diffuse lighting.

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Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg is entering a new chapter as a wave of recent openings last fall and announced arrivals fill recently vacated spaces. Here’s a look at the businesses helping reshape the mixed-use destination:

Openings

• El Guero Mexicano (formerly Taco Bar El Guero) reopened in its new home and with a new name. The longtime Gaithersburg favorite is now operating as El Güero Mexicano at 200 Ellington Boulevard. More here.
• Sixty Vines opened in October, bringing its signature wine-on-tap concept and seasonal American fare to the area, offering a spacious, communal dining experience. More here.
• The Crepe Shoppe, which also opened in October, recently relocated within Crown to 230 Crown Park Ave. The shop features sweet and savory crepes and adding a casual, dessert-friendly option to the mix. More here.
• Rowan, a piercing studio staffed by licensed nurses, also opened in October.  The new studio is located between Ideal Image and Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Rowan specializes in ear piercings and offers a variety of styles, including hoops, studs, charms, threaders, cuffs, and more.. More here.

Coming Soon

• Pittsburgh-based Millie’s Ice Cream is preparing to open its first Maryland location in Gaithersburg’s Downtown Crown. Millie’s will be opening at 202 Ellington Blvd., in the space most recently occupied by The Crepe Shoppe before its relocation to 230 Crown Park Ave. More here.
• Signage for Kitchen Social’s first Maryland location has been approved as the restaurant continues moving forward at Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg. The signage approval marks another step forward for the project, which recently received a $2 million permit for interior construction work. A 2026 opening is expected.
• The Container Store locations are beginning the transition to a new combined “The Container Store + Bed Bath & Beyond” format, with stores currently running large sales ahead of the rollout of new merchandise. The company says locations are expected to transition over the coming months into the new “The Container Store + Bed Bath & Beyond” model, which it describes as its future operating format.