BIRDS OF PARADISE

Paradisaea rubra or Red bird of Paradise

The birds-of-paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae found on the island of New Guinea.

DESCRIPTION

 The family has forty species in 14 genera.

Birds of paradise are generally crow-like in general body-form.

The members of this family are perhaps best known for the plumage of the males of most species, in particular highly elongated and elaborate feathers extending from the beak, wings or head.

Birds-of-paradise range in size from the King Bird-of-paradise at 50 g and 15 cm to the Curl-crested Manucode at 44 cm and 430 g.

The male Black Sicklebill, with its long tail, is the longest species at 110 cm (43 in).

For the most part they are confined to dense rainforest habitat.

The diet of all species is dominated by fruit and to a lesser extent arthropods.

Paradisaea rudolphi or Blue bird of Paradise

The species is approximately 30 cm long, black with a bluish-white bill, dark brown iris, grey legs, broken white eye-ring and bright blue wings. The male is adorned with violet blue and cinnamon flank plumes and two long ribbon-like tail feathers. The female has a chestnut brown below.

It is a VULNERABLY THREATENED SPECIES.

Paradisaea decora or Goldie's Bird of Paradise

Goldie's Bird of Paradise is a large, approximately 33 cm long, olive-brown bird of paradise. The male has a yellow and dark green plumage with a lavender grey breast, yellow iris and grey colored bill, mouth and feet. It is adorned with large crimson ornamental flank plumes and two long tail wires. The male is distinguished from other species by its lavender grey breast plumage. Unadorned female has an olive-brown plumage with cinnamon brown below.

Paradisaea guilielmi or Emperor bird of Paradise

Emperor of Germany's Bird-of-paradise is a large, approximately 33 cm long, yellow and brown bird with a reddish-brown iris, bluish-grey bill and purplish-brown legs. The male has an extensive dark emerald green face and throat, two very long tail wires and large white ornamental flank plumes. The female is almost similar to the male, but has an all brown plumage, smaller in size and has no ornamental plumes.

 Paradisaea minor or Lesser Bird-of-paradise

The Lesser Bird-of-paradise is medium-sized, up to 32 cm-long, maroon-brown with a yellow crown and brownish-yellow upper back. The male has a dark emerald-green throat, a pair of long tail-wires and is adorned with ornamental flank plumes which are deep yellow at their base and fade outwards into white. The female is a maroon bird with a dark-brown head and whitish underparts.

Paradisaea apoda or Greater Bird-of-paradise

The Greater Bird-of-paradise is the largest member in the genus, with males measuring up to 43 cm (excluding the long twin tail wires). The female is smaller, at only 35 cm. The plumage of this species is also sexually dimorphic. The male has an iridescent green face and a yellow glossed with silver iridescence crown, head and nape. The rest of the body plumage is maroon-brown. The flank plumes, used in displays, are yellow at the base, turning white and streaked with maroon. The female has unbarred maroon brown plumage. In both sexes the iris is yellow and the bills blue.

Paradisaea raggiana or Raggiana Bird-of-paradise

It is 34 cm long, maroon-brown with a greyish-blue bill, yellow iris and greyish-brown feet. The male has a yellow crown, dark emerald-green throat and yellow collar between the throat and its blackish upper breast feathers. It is adorned with a pair of long black tail wires and large flank plumes. The female is a comparatively drab maroonish-brown bird with no long tail feathers. The ornamental flank plumes vary from red to orange in color. one of the subspecies has the deepest red plumes, another subspecies of northeast New Guinea, also known as the Empress of Germany's bird of Paradise, has apricot-orange plumes.