CNN just ran a new article on the Robotic Bowerbird Project. University of Maryland biologist Gail Patricelli has been using robot female birds to seduce the males in order to study sexual selection in the Satin Bowerbird of Australia. A Microchip PIC12C509 is used as a bird brain and controls a few R/C servos. Previous articles on the robot bowerbirds may be found at Science News, NOVA Online, and PBS Nature Online.