The birds of paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes. They are found in eastern Indonesia, Torres Strait Islands, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Australia. 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 grams (1.8 oz) and 15 cm (6 in) to the Black Sicklebill at 110 cm (43 in) and the Curl-crested Manucode at 430 grams (15.2 oz). Best known are the members of the genus Paradisaea , including the type species, the Greater Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea apoda . This species was described from specimens brought back to Europe from trading expeditions. These specimens had been prepared by native traders by removing their wings and feet so that they could be used as decorations. This was not known to the explorers and led to the belief that the birds never landed but were kept permanently aloft by their plumes. This is the origin of both the name "birds of paradise" and the specific name apoda - without feet.

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Biology

Birds of paradise are generally crow-like in general body-form, and, indeed are the sister group to the Corvids (crows & jays). They have stout or long bills and strong feet, with around two-thirds of the species being strongly sexually dimorphic.

They live in tropical forests, including rainforest, swamps and moss forest. In most species, the diet consists predominantly of fruit, although riflebirds and sicklebills also favour insects and other arthropods. ^[1]

Most species have elaborate mating rituals, with the Paradisaea species using a lek-type mating system. Others, such as the Cicinnurus and Parotia species, have highly ritualized mating dances. Males are polygamous in the sexually dimorphic species, but monogamous in at least some of the monomorphic species. Hybridization is frequent in these birds. Many hybrids have been described as new species, and doubt remains regarding whether some forms, such as Rothschild's Lobe-billed Bird of Paradise, are valid.

Birds of paradise build their nests from soft materials, such as leaves, ferns, and vine tendrils, typically placed in a tree fork. Clutch size is somewhat uncertain. In the large species, it is probably almost always just one egg. Smaller species may produce clutches of 2-3.(Mackay 1990) Eggs hatch after 16-22 days, and the young leave the nest at between 16 and 30 days of age.

The manucodes are the most primitive members of the group.

Species of Birds of Paradise

Genus Lycocorax

• Paradise Crow, Lycocorax pyrrhopterus

Genus Manucodia

• Glossy-mantled Manucode, Manucodia atra
• Jobi Manucode, Manucodia jobiensis
• Crinkle-collared Manucode, Manucodia chalybata
• Curl-crested Manucode, Manucodia comrii
• Trumpet Manucode, Manucodia keraudrenii

Genus Paradigalla

• Long-tailed Paradigalla, Paradigalla carunculata
• Short-tailed Paradigalla, Paradigalla brevicauda

Genus Astrapia

• Arfak Astrapia, Astrapia nigra
• Splendid Astrapia, Astrapia splendidissima
• Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, Astrapia mayeri
• Stephanie's Astrapia, Astrapia stephaniae
• Huon Astrapia, Astrapia rothschildi

Genus Parotia

• Western Parotia, Parotia sefilata
• Carola's Parotia, Parotia carolae
• Berlepsch's Parotia, Parotia berlepschi
• Lawes's Parotia, Parotia lawesii
• Eastern Parotia, Parotia helenae
• Wahnes's Parotia, Parotia wahnesi

Genus Pteridophora

• King of Saxony Bird of Paradise, Pteridophora alberti

Genus Lophorina

• Superb Bird of Paradise, Lophorina superba

Genus Ptiloris

• Magnificent Riflebird, Ptiloris magnificus
• Eastern Riflebird, Ptiloris intercedens
• Paradise Riflebird, Ptiloris paradiseus
• Victoria's Riflebird, Ptiloris victoriae

Genus Epimachus

• Black Sicklebill, Epimachus fastuosus
• Brown Sicklebill, Epimachus meyeri
• Black-billed Sicklebill, Epimachus albertisi
• Pale-billed Sicklebill, Epimachus bruijnii

Genus Cicinnurus

• Magnificent Bird of Paradise, Cicinnurus magnificus
• Wilson's Bird of Paradise, Cicinnurus respublica
• King Bird of Paradise, Cicinnurus regius

Genus Semioptera

• Wallace's Standardwing, Semioptera wallacii

Genus Seleucidis

• Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Seleucidis melanoleuca

Genus Paradisaea

• Lesser Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea minor
• Greater Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea apoda
• Raggiana Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea raggiana
• Goldie's Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea decora
• Red Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea rubra
• Emperor Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea guilielmi
• Blue Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea rudolphi

Greater "Melampitta"

• Greater Melampitta, "Melampitta" gigantea - tentatively included in this group

Formerly placed here

• Loria's Bird-of-paradise, Cnemophilus loriae - probably closer to Melanocharitidae (berrypeckers) (Cracraft & Feinstein 2000).
• Crested Bird-of-paradise, Cnemophilus macgregorii - probably closer to Melanocharitidae (Cracraft & Feinstein 2000).
• Yellow-breasted Bird-of-paradise, Loboparadisea sericea - probably closer to Melanocharitidae (Cracraft & Feinstein 2000).
• Macgregor's Giant Honeyeater (formerly "Macgregor's Bird-of-paradise"), Macgregoria pulchra - recently found to be a honeyeater (Cracraft & Feinstein 2000).
• Lesser Melampitta, Melampitta lugubris - for some time tentatively placed here; probably Orthonychidae (logrunners)

Relationship with humans

Societies of New Guinea often use bird of paradise plumes in their dress and rituals, and the plumes were very important in Europe in ladies' millinery in past centuries. Hunting for plumes and habitat destruction have reduced some species to endangered status; habitat destruction due to deforestation is now the predominant threat.

Hunting birds of paradise for their plumes for the millinery trade was extensive in the late 19th and early 20th century (Cribb 1997), but today the birds enjoy legal protection and hunting is only permitted at a sustainable level to fulfill the ceremonial needs of the local tribal population. In the case of Pteridophora plumes, scavenging from old bowerbird bowers is encouraged. When King Mahendra of Nepal was crowned in 1955, it was found that the bird of paradise plumes of the Nepali royal crown were in need of replacement. Due to the hunting ban, replacements were eventually procured from a confiscated shipment seized by United States Customs.

Hunting of birds of paradise has occurred for a long time, possibly since the beginning of human settlement. It is a peculiarity that among the most frequently-hunted species, males start mating opportunistically even before they grow their ornamental plumage. This may be an adaptation maintaining population levels in the face of hunting pressures, which have probably been present for 30 millennia.

The southern hemisphere constellation Apus represents a bird of paradise.

An adult-plumaged male bird of paradise is depicted on the flag of Papua New Guinea. David Attenborough has nominated some bird of paradise as his favorite animal species, probably referring to Wilson's Bird of Paradise.

Charlie Parker, himself nicknamed Bird, wrote and played a song entitled "Bird of Paradise".

See also

• Fauna of New Guinea

References

1. Encyclopaedia of Animals: Birds