Animal Profiles
Birds

Bird of Paradise

Paradisaeidae

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Birds-of-paradise are renowned for elaborate courtship displays. This account describes the Raggiana bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea raggiana), a forest bird of Papua New Guinea.

Paradisaea raggiana (birds of paradise)

Representative species: Paradisaea raggiana.

JJ Harrison · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Location
Southern and eastern Papua New Guinea.
Habitat
Rainforest
Diet
Omnivore
Food
Fruit, figs and arthropods.

Classification

Common name
Bird of Paradise
Browse group
Birds
Scientific name or taxon
Paradisaeidae
Taxon rank
family
Order
Passeriformes
Family
Paradisaeidae
Source classification
Aves

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • Males display together at traditional courtship sites.
  • Only the female builds and tends the nest.
  • Males have long ornamental flank plumes.

Habitat and range

Raggiana birds-of-paradise occur in southern and eastern Papua New Guinea. They use lowland and hill forest, lower mountain forest, secondary growth, forest margins and gardens.

Appearance and adaptations

The male has a yellow head covering, a green throat and conspicuous red to orange flank plumes. Females have subtler brown and yellow colouring.

Diet and behaviour

Fruit and arthropods supply food. At communal display sites known as leks, males use calls, postures and their extended plumes to attract females. Nest construction and care of the young fall to the female.

Sources

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