Red Bird of Paradise

  • Updated
    08/04/19
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Red Bird of Paradise Click to enlarge image
Red Bird of Paradise The birds of New Guinea and the adjacent Papuan islands. Image: Leone Lemmer
© Research Library

Fast Facts

Common name

Red Bird of Paradise

Scientific name

Paradisaea rubra

Etymology

Paradisaea (Latin, paradise); rubra (Latin, red).

Description

Sexually dimorphic. Adult males, 33 cm long (excluding tail tapes); females, 30 cm. Adult male has dark orange-yellow head, erectile horn-like structure above each eye, dark green chin, striking deep crimson flank plumes and curled, black central pair of tail ‘tapes’. Adult female has forehead and throat dark brown and broad yellow bar on upper breast.

Diet

Fruit and arthropods.

Habitat

Lowland rainforests and hill forests; 0-600m.

Courtship

Polygynous. Displays occur at least July-September. Males display on traditional perches in leks. They converge on each other, and display in static postures and dance moves fanning and advertising wings, flank plumes and tail tapes.

Breeding

Breeding season unknown. No nests reported from wild. In captivity, female builds and attends nest alone. Incubation 14-17 days; nestling period 15-20 days. No hybridisation unknown.

Status and conservation

Near threatened; small population, restricted range, possibly decline due to habitat loss.

Distribution

Indonesia: West Papua: Waideo, Gemien, Saonek and Batanta Islands, Rajah Ampat group.