Foja Parotia

Common name

Foja Parotia

Scientific name

Parotia berlepschi

Etymology

Parotia (Greek, curl of hair by the ear, alluding to plumes on head); berlepschi (named for CH von Berlepsh, German ornithologist); common name refers to mountain range in which species occurs.

Description

Sexually dimorphic. Adult male, 26 cm; female, 25 cm. Adult male head and body blackish, with heavy bronze sheen on nape and mantle, elongate feathers from base of upper bill to above each eye, occipital plumes arise from above and behind eyes, upperparts blackish brown, underparts blackish brown, flanks with large patch of white feathers. Adult female brown with very broad pale stripe above and in front of eye, narrower stripes from this to rear of head and below eye, , underparts light brown with dark brown barring.

Diet

Unknown; presumably fruit.

Habitat

Upper montane wet forest; 1100-2000m.

Courtship

Polygynous. Males form exploded leks, each maintaining terrestrial site with cleared floor; females called with loud vocalisations. Upon her arrival, male drops to ground and engages in complex dance sequence that incorporates movements of head plumes and fanning of flank plumes into ‘skirt’.

Breeding

Only females build and attend nests; no other information.

Status and conservation

Uncertain; remoteness and isolation should protect it but owing to limited range could be vulnerable to change in habitat.

Distribution

Indonesia: West Papua: Foja Mountains.