Bird of Paradise
Facts
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Location: New Guinea
Lifespan: Wild - unknown. Captivity - up to 30 years.
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Location: New Guinea
Lifespan: Wild - unknown. Captivity - up to 30 years.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Suborder: Passeri
Family: Paradisaeidae
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Suborder: Passeri
Family: Paradisaeidae
Description
Weight: 50 to 430 g (1.8 to 15 oz)
Length: 15 to 44cm (5.9 to 17 in)
Other: In most of the males are larger and longer than the female, the differences ranging from slight to extreme. The wings are rounded and in some species structurally modified on the males in order to make sound. There is considerable variation in the family with regard to bill shape. Bills may be long and decurved, as in the sicklebills and riflebirds, or small and slim like the Astrapias. As with body size on average bill size varies with sex, although species where the females have larger bills than the male are more common, particularly in the insect eating species. For reasons of camouflage plumage of the females typically blends well with their habitat, unlike the bright attractive colors found on the males.
Weight: 50 to 430 g (1.8 to 15 oz)
Length: 15 to 44cm (5.9 to 17 in)
Other: In most of the males are larger and longer than the female, the differences ranging from slight to extreme. The wings are rounded and in some species structurally modified on the males in order to make sound. There is considerable variation in the family with regard to bill shape. Bills may be long and decurved, as in the sicklebills and riflebirds, or small and slim like the Astrapias. As with body size on average bill size varies with sex, although species where the females have larger bills than the male are more common, particularly in the insect eating species. For reasons of camouflage plumage of the females typically blends well with their habitat, unlike the bright attractive colors found on the males.
Subspecies
Genus: Lycocorax
Genus: Manucodia
Genus: Paradigalla
Genus: Astrapia
Genus: Parotia
Genus: Pteridophora
Genus: Lophorina
Genus: Ptiloris
Genus: Epimachus
Genus: Drepanornis
Genus: Cicinnurus
Genus: Semioptera
Genus: Seleucidis
Genus: Paradisaea
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
- Princess Stephanie's Astrapia, Astrapia stephaniae
- Huon Astrapia, Astrapia rothschildi
Genus: Parotia
- Western Parotia, Parotia sefilata
- Queen Carola's Parotia, Parotia carolae
- Bronze 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
- Growling Riflebird, Ptiloris intercedens
- Paradise Riflebird, Ptiloris paradiseus
- Victoria's Riflebird, Ptiloris victoriae
Genus: Epimachus
- Black Sicklebill, Epimachus fastuosus
- Brown Sicklebill, Epimachus meyeri
Genus: Drepanornis
- Black-billed Sicklebill, Drepanornis albertisi
- Pale-billed Sicklebill, Drepanornis bruijnii
Genus: Cicinnurus
- Magnificent Bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus magnificus
- Wilson's Bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus respublica
- King Bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus regius
Genus: Semioptera
- 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
Behaviour
The behaviour of the Bird of Paradise is determines by the diet. The diet of the birds-of-paradise is dominated by fruit and arthropods. The ratio of the two food types varies by species, with fruit predominating in some species, and arthropods dominating the diet in others. The ratio of the two will affect other aspects of the behaviour of the species, for example frugivorous species tend to feed in the forest canopy, whereas insectivores may feed lower down. Frugivores are more social than the insectivores, which are more solitary and territorial.
The behaviour of the Bird of Paradise is determines by the diet. The diet of the birds-of-paradise is dominated by fruit and arthropods. The ratio of the two food types varies by species, with fruit predominating in some species, and arthropods dominating the diet in others. The ratio of the two will affect other aspects of the behaviour of the species, for example frugivorous species tend to feed in the forest canopy, whereas insectivores may feed lower down. Frugivores are more social than the insectivores, which are more solitary and territorial.
Predators or Prey?
Adult Birds of Paradise have very few natural predators in the wild, but the more vulnerable Birds of Paradise chicks are preyed upon by large birds of prey and the odd snake. The main predator of the Bird of Paradise is the humans that live in settlements in the same habitat. Birds of Paradise are also being continually threatened by deforestation and habitat loss. The Bird of Paradise only has one type of prey; insects. This includes ants, beetles, and crickets.
Adult Birds of Paradise have very few natural predators in the wild, but the more vulnerable Birds of Paradise chicks are preyed upon by large birds of prey and the odd snake. The main predator of the Bird of Paradise is the humans that live in settlements in the same habitat. Birds of Paradise are also being continually threatened by deforestation and habitat loss. The Bird of Paradise only has one type of prey; insects. This includes ants, beetles, and crickets.
Diet
The diet of the birds-of-paradise is dominated by fruit and arthropods. The ratio of the two food types varies by species, with fruit predominating in some species, and arthropods dominating the diet in others. The Bird of Paradise are seen feeding on flowers in the tree tops of the rain forests. Both the male and the female are seen feeding with other birds such as Sunbirds, Honeyeaters, and small insect eaters. The Bird of Paradise's diet consists of fruit such as berries, figs, and other tree fruits, and small insects such as ants, beetles, and crickets.
The diet of the birds-of-paradise is dominated by fruit and arthropods. The ratio of the two food types varies by species, with fruit predominating in some species, and arthropods dominating the diet in others. The Bird of Paradise are seen feeding on flowers in the tree tops of the rain forests. Both the male and the female are seen feeding with other birds such as Sunbirds, Honeyeaters, and small insect eaters. The Bird of Paradise's diet consists of fruit such as berries, figs, and other tree fruits, and small insects such as ants, beetles, and crickets.
Habitat
The majority of birds-of-paradise live in tropical forests, including rainforest, swamps and moss forest, nearly all of them solitary tree dwellers. Several species have been recorded in coastal mangroves. The southernmost species, the Paradise Riflebird of Australia, lives in sub-tropical and temperate wet forests. As a group the manucodes are the most plastic in their habitat requirements, with in particular theGlossy-mantled Manucode inhabiting both forest and open savanna woodland. Mid-montane habitats are the most commonly occupied habitat, with thirty of the forty species occurring in the 1000–2000 m altitudinal band.
The majority of birds-of-paradise live in tropical forests, including rainforest, swamps and moss forest, nearly all of them solitary tree dwellers. Several species have been recorded in coastal mangroves. The southernmost species, the Paradise Riflebird of Australia, lives in sub-tropical and temperate wet forests. As a group the manucodes are the most plastic in their habitat requirements, with in particular theGlossy-mantled Manucode inhabiting both forest and open savanna woodland. Mid-montane habitats are the most commonly occupied habitat, with thirty of the forty species occurring in the 1000–2000 m altitudinal band.
Conservation
The Bird of Paradise are not at risk in New Guinea. They are very widespread and common. Although, the Bird of Paradise's tail are worn by the men of the Wahgi Valley as hair decorations.
The Bird of Paradise are not at risk in New Guinea. They are very widespread and common. Although, the Bird of Paradise's tail are worn by the men of the Wahgi Valley as hair decorations.
Reproduction
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 almost always just one egg. Smaller species may produce clutches of 2–3. Eggs hatch after 16–22 days, and the young leave the nest at between 16 and 30 days of age.
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 almost always just one egg. Smaller species may produce clutches of 2–3. Eggs hatch after 16–22 days, and the young leave the nest at between 16 and 30 days of age.
