Breathtaking Red Bird of Paradise...

Red Bird of Paradise

Paradisaea Rubra:

Birds of paradise are some of the most colourful birds on earth.Taking its name from the long-distance train of glossy red feathers in the tail, the male red bird of paradise is both splendid and unusual in appearance. The feathering around the face and throat is an iridescent, dark emerald-green, and the slightly longer, curved feathers above the eyes are almost cushion like in appearance. The overcoat of the red bird of paradise is especially pale orange-yellow, although it is slightly more amber on the sides, & more yellow with an

iridescent white brightness on the back. The upper breast feathers and the upper parts of the wings are also pale orange-yellow in colour.The back and chest of the red bird of paradise are switching shades of glossy brown with reddish highlights, becoming lighter brown underneath. 

Red Bird of Paradise Taking off

The wings are reddish-brown. The central pair of feathers in the tail is modified into greatly long-distance, gently twisted, shiny black ‘tapes’. The female is less attractive than the male, shortage of the long red panache in the tail. The female red bird of paradise also has a dark brown face and throat, while the rest of the plumage is brownish, except for the upper breast which has a discrete bar of glossy, straw-yellow feathers. Male red bird of paradise length (excluding tail wires) is 33 cm and average weight 158 g to 224 g and the of female red bird of paradise is 30 cm  and average weight is 115 g to 208 g.

Red Bird of Paradise

Behaviour:

The male red bird of paradise performs an sophisticated courtship ritual to attract a female during the mating season, with multiple males gathering and displaying in a communal arena, called a ‘lek’. The lek is usually located in a large tree where the upper branches are quite free from leaves, with the courtship ritual typically accomplished at dawn, and involving three precise display stages, with the final stage ending in a mating sequence. It is considered that the determine size of the red bird of paradise is one or two eggs, which are laid in a nest built merely by the female. The eggs are hatched by the female for around 14 to 17 days, and the young chicks leave the nest between 15 and 20 days after hatching. The red bird of paradise feeds on fruits, berries and insects.

Red Bird of Paradise

Range & Habitat:

The red bird of paradise is endemic to the West Papuan Islands off the north-west coast of mainland Papua, inhabiting the islands of Waigeo, Batanta, Gemien and Saonek. The red bird-of-paradise occurs throughout lowland rainforest and hill forest, up to elevations of around 600 metres. In the past, the red bird of paradise was hunted for its skin (complete with the feathers), but the current extent of the practice and how it impacts on the population is uncertain. It is likely that hunting for skins continues locally, and some individuals are taken for the cage-bird trade.