Birds of Paradise or Cendrawasih
The Birds of Paradise or Cendrawasih are members of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes (Perching Birds).
Distribution / Range
They are found in Australasia regions of eastern Indonesia, Torres Strait Islands, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Australia
They live in tropical forests, including rainforest, swamps and moss forest.
Description
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
Biology
Birds of paradise are generally crow-like in general body-form, and, indeed are the brother group to the Corvids (crows and jays).
They have stout or long bills and strong feet, with around two-thirds of the species being strongly sexually dimorphic.
Diet / Feeding
In most species, the diet consists predominantly of fruit, although riflebirds and sicklebills also favour insects and other arthropods.
Breeding / Nesting
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 ritualised mating dances. Males are polygamous in the sexually dimorphic species, but monogamous in at least some of the monomorphic species. Hybridisation is frequent in these birds, suggesting the polygamous species of bird of paradise are very closely related despite being in different genera. 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. Despite the presence of hybrids, some ornithologists hypothesise that at least some putative hybrids are valid species that may be extinct.
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.
The manucodes are the most primitive members of the group.
Species
Genus Lycocorax
Genus Manucodia
Genus Paradigalla
Genus Astrapia
Genus Parotia
Genus Pteridophora
Genus Lophorina
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Genus Ptiloris
Genus Epimachus
Genus Cicinnurus
Genus Semioptera
Genus Seleucidis
Genus Paradisaea
|
Hybrids
Hybrid birds of paradise may occur when individuals of different species, that look similar and have overlapping ranges, confuse each other for their own species and crossbreed.
When Erwin Stresemann realised that hybridisation among birds of paradise might be an explanation as to why so many of the described species were so rare, he examinined many controversial specimens and, during the 1920s and 1930s, published several papers on his hypothesis. Many of the species described in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are now generally considered to be hybrids, though some are still subject to dispute; their status is not likely to be settled definitely without genetic examination of museum specimens.
Some named hybrids and presumed hybrids are:
- Astrapian Sicklebill, also known as the Green-breasted Riflebird, was described as a species (Epimachus astrapioides Rothschild, 1897), but is a hybrid between the Arfak Astrapia and Black Sicklebill.
- Barnes' Astrapia, also known as Barnes’ Long-tail, was described as a species (Astrarchia barnesi Iredale, 1948), but is a hybrid between Ribbon-tailed Astrapia and Stephanie's Astrapia.
- Bensbach's Bird of Paradise, also known as Bensbach's Riflebird, was described as a species (Janthothorax bensbachi Büttikofer, 1894), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Magnificent Riflebird and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
- Blood's Bird of Paradise, also known as Captain Blood’s Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Paradisea bloodi Iredale, 1948), but is a hybrid between the Raggiana Bird of Paradise and Blue Bird of Paradise.
- Duivenbode's Bird of Paradise was described as a species (Paradisea duivenbodei Menegaux, 1913), but is a hybrid between the Emperor Bird of Paradise and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
- Duivenbode's Riflebird was described as a species (Paryphephorus (Craspediphora) duivenbodei Meyer, 1890), but is a hybrid between the Superb Bird of Paradise and Magnificent Riflebird.
- Duivenbode's Six-wired Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Parotia duivenbodei Rothschild, 1900), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Western Parotia and Superb Bird of Paradise.
- Elliot's Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Epimachus ellioti Ward, 1873), but is a presumed hybrid between the Arfak Astrapia and Black Sicklebill.
- False-lobed Astrapia, also known as the False-lobed Long-tail, was described as a species (Pseudastrapia lobata Rothschild, 1907), but is a hybrid between the Long-tailed Paradigalla and Black Sicklebill.
- Gilliard's Bird of Paradise is a hybrid between the Raggiana Bird of Paradise and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
- King of Holland's Bird of Paradise, also known as King William III’s Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Diphyllodes gulielmi III Meyer, 1875) but is a hybrid between the Magnificent Bird of Paradise and King Bird of Paradise.
- Lupton's Bird of Paradise was described as a subspecies (Paradisea apoda luptoni Lowe, 1923), but is a hybrid between the Raggiana Bird of Paradise and Greater Bird of Paradise.
- Lyre-tailed King Bird of Paradise, also known as the Lonely Little King or Crimson Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Cicinnurus lyogyrus Currie, 1900), but is a hybrid between the Magnificent Bird of Paradise and King Bird of Paradise.
- Mantou's Riflebird, also known as Bruijn’s Riflebird, was described as a species (Craspedophora mantoui Oustalet, 1891), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Magnificent Riflebird and Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise.
- Maria's Bird of Paradise, also known as Frau Reichenow’s Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Paradisea maria Reichenow, 1894) but is thought to be a hybrid between the Emperor Bird of Paradise and Raggiana Bird of Paradise.
- Mysterious Bird of Bobairo is presumed to be a hybrid between the Black Sicklebill and Superb Bird of Paradise.
- Rothschild's Bird of Paradise was described as a species (Paradisea mixta Rothschild, 1921), but is a hybrid between the Raggiana Bird of Paradise and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
- Rothschild's Lobe-billed Bird of Paradise, also known as the Noble Lobe-bill, was described as a species (Loborhamphus nobilis Rothschild, 1901), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Long-tailed Paradigalla and Superb Bird of Paradise.
- Ruys' Bird of Paradise was described as a species (Neoparadisea ruysi van Oort, 1906), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Magnificent Bird of Paradise and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
- Schodde's Bird of Paradise is a hybrid between the Blue Bird of Paradise and Lawes's Parotia.
- Sharpe's Lobe-billed Parotia, also known as Sharpe’s Lobe-billed Riflebird, was described as a species (Loborhamphus ptilorhis Sharpe, 1908), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Western Parotia and Long-tailed Paradigalla.
- Stresemann's Bird of Paradise was described as a subspecies (Lophorina superba pseudoparotia Stresemann, 1934), but is a hybrid between the Superb Bird of Paradise and Carola's Parotia.
- Wilhelmina's Bird of Paradise, also known as Wilhelmina's Riflebird, was described as a species (Lamprothorax wilhelminae Meyer, 1894), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Superb Bird of Paradise and Magnificent Bird of Paradise.
- Wonderful Bird of Paradise was described as a species (Paradisea mirabilis Reichenow, 1901), but is a hybrid between the Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
Former "birds of paradise"
Species formerly considered to be members of the Paradisaeidae but which have been since separated include the:
- Velvet Satinbird (Formerly known as the Loria's Bird of Paradise) (Cnemophilus loriae)
- Antenna Satinbird or Crested Cnemophilus (Cnemophilus macgregorii), formerly known as the (Sickle) Crested Bird-of-paradise
- Silken Satinbird (formerly known as the Yellow-breasted Bird-of-paradise) (Loboparadisea sericea)
- Macgregor's Giant Honeyeater (formerly "Macgregor's Bird-of-paradise"), Macgregoria pulchra - recently found to be a honeyeater
- Lesser Melampitta, Melampitta lugubris - for some time tentatively placed here; probably Orthonychidae (logrunners)
- Greater Melampitta, "Melampitta" gigantea - probably a logrunner or a pitohui
Use by humans
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.
Societies of New Guinea often use bird of paradise plumes in their dress and rituals, and the plumes were popular in Europe in past centuries as adornment for ladies' millinery. Hunting for plumes and habitat destruction have reduced some species to endangered status; habitat destruction due to deforestation is now the predominant threat.
Hunting
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.
Hunting birds of paradise for their plumes for the millinery trade was extensive in the late 19th and early 20th century, 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 the United States Customs Service.
Other examples
- 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.
- The various members of the family were profiled by David Attenborough in Attenborough in Paradise.
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