The Species
To understand bird–of–paradise evolution, biologists have organized closely related species into 15 groups each called a genus (plural: genera). Some of the genera have several species that look pretty similar. Other genera contain just a single unusual species. Look inside each of the 15 genera below and see how taxonomy helps make sense of biological diversity.
Paradisaea
Lesser Bird-of-Paradise, Paradisaea minor Greater Bird-of-Paradise, Paradisaea apoda Red Bird-of-Paradise, Paradisaea rubra Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise, Paradisaea raggiana Emperor Bird-of-Paradise, Paradisaea guilielmi Blue Bird-of-Paradise, Paradisaea rudolphi Goldie’s Bird-of-Paradise, Paradisaea decora
Genus Paradisaea
(7 species)
Males: large, brightly colored birds with showy flank plumes
Females: brown; same general shape as males but without display plumes
Displays: shake colorful plumes, typically perform in groups in rainforest canopy
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: lowlands to 6,500 feet of New Guinea and nearby islands
“Sickle-tails”
Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise, Cicinnurus respublica Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise, Cicinurrus magnificus King Bird-of-Paradise, Cicinnurus regius
Genus Cicinnurus
(3 species)
Males: small, very brightly colored birds with long, wirelike tail feathers
Females: same general shape as males but without display feathers, sometimes skin shows males coloration
Displays: males display their bright colors in carefully maintained courts on the ground or tree branches
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: lowlands to 5,000 feet in New Guinea plus one nearby island
Astrapias
Splendid astrapia, Astrapia splendidissima Huon astrapia, Astrapia rothschildi Ribbon-tailed astrapia, Astrapia mayeri Arfak Astrapia, Astrapia nigra Stephanie’s Astrapia, Astrapia stephaniae
Genus Astrapia
(5 species)
Males: large, dark, iridescent birds of the highlands, with long to very long tails
Females: lack male’s iridescence; nesting habits poorly known
Displays: poorly known; pivoting from side to side and waving or fanning of long tails
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: mountains from 5,000 to 11,500 feet in New Guinea
Paradigallas
Long-tailed Paradigalla, Paradigalla carunculata Short-tailed Paradigalla, Paradigalla brevicauda
Genus Paradigalla
(2 species)
Males: dark, short-tailed birds with red, blue, and yellow facial wattles
Females: look similar to males
Displays: unknown
Mating system: limited observations suggest males provide no parental care
Range: mountains from 5,000 to 8,200 feet in New Guinea
“Long-tailed” Sicklebills
Brown Sicklebill, Epimachus meyeri Black Sicklebill, Epimachus fastosus
Genus Epimachus
(2 species)
Males: slender, dark birds with very long tails and long, curved bills
Females: brown; same general shape as males but without display feathers
Displays: Shape Shifters—perched males transform their body outline to a long, cometlike oval
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: cloud forests from 5,000 to 10,000 feet in New Guinea
Riflebirds
Magnificent Riflebird, Ptiloris magnificus Paradise Riflebird, Ptiloris paradiseus Victoria’s riflebird, Ptiloris victoriae
Genus Ptiloris
(3 species)
Males: plump, dark, velvety birds with iridescent blue throats
Females: brown, without iridescence
Displays: Shape Shifters—males perch on a stump and “salute” with fanned wings; females participate
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: low to mid elevations in coastal eastern Australia and New Guinea
Lophorinas
Greater Lophorina, Lophorina superba Vogelkop Lophorina, Lophorina niedda
Genus Lophorina
(2 species)
Males: black and iridescent blue, able to totally transform shape
Females: brown, without the male’s specialized display feathers
Displays: Shape Shifters—on a fallen log, males transform their shape into a wide oval with iridescent “smiley face” and hop for females while snapping their wings
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: mid elevations from 5,000 to 6,500 feet in New Guinea
Learn About New Species
Introducing the Vogelkop Superb Bird-of-Paradise (Lophorina niedda), now recognized as a new species, thanks in part to its smooth dance moves.
Standardwing Bird-of-Paradise
Standardwing Bird-of-Paradise, Semioptera wallacii
Genus Semioptera
(1 species)
Males: brownish with green breast shield and long white feathers at the wrist of the wing
Females: brown, lacking the male’s specialized display feathers
Displays: groups display in canopy by flying up and down, trailing four white flaglike feathers
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: hill forests of the northern Molucca Islands west of New Guinea
“Short-tailed” Sicklebills
Pale-billed Sicklebill, Drepanornis bruijnii Black-billed Sicklebill, Drepanornis albertisi
Genus Drepanornis
(2 species)
Males: drab brown birds with long curved bills; not closely related to the other two sicklebills in the family
Females: more similar to males than in many birds-of-paradise
Displays: Shape Shifters—poorly known display includes fanning flank feathers into a disk
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: lowlands up to 6,500 feet in New Guinea
Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise
Twelve-wired Bird-of-Paradise, Seleucidis melanoleucus
Genus Seleucidis
(1 species)
Males: a black bird with vivid yellow flank plumes with 12 that have unique wiry tips used in display
Females: very different from males
Displays: males climb a pole, turn away from female, wave yellow plumes and brush her with wirelike feathers
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: lowlands and swamps in New Guinea
Parotias
Bronze Parotia, Parotia berlepschi Lawes’s parotia, Parotia lawesii Western Parotia, Parotia sefilata Wahnes’s Parotia, Parotia wahnesi Carola’s Parotia, Parotia carolae
Genus Parotia
(5 species)
Males: mostly black birds with iridescent throats, wirelike head plumes, and flank feathers that form a disk
Females: very different from males
Displays: Shape Shifters—Males dance on a ground “court” they have cleared of debris, with females looking down from a perch above
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: mid-elevation forests at 3,200 to 6,600 feet in New Guinea
King-of-Saxony Bird-of-Paradise
King of Saxony Bird-of-Paradise, Pteridophora alberti
Genus Pteridophora
(1 species)
Males: a small bird with two extremely long head plumes unlike any other feathers in the world
Females: very different from males
Displays: wave head plumes while puffing out chest feathers, bobbing up and down, and making loud, staticky sounds from a vine
Mating system: no pair bonds; males provide no parental care
Range: cloud forests from 5,000 to 8,200 feet in New Guinea
Other Manucodes
Curl-crested Manucode, Manucodia comrii Crinkle-collared Manucode, Manucodia chalybatus Glossy-mantled Manucode, Manucodia ater Jobi Manucode, Manucodia jobiensis
Genus Manucodia
(4 species)
Males: glossy black birds with elaborate vocal anatomy that gives them rich voices
Females: resemble males
Mating system: males help raise young
Displays: males give simple displays accompanied by rich whistled notes
Range: lowlands to mid elevations of New Guinea and a few nearby islands
Trumpet Manucode
Trumpet Manucode, Phonygammus keraudrenii
Genus Phonygammus
(1 species)
Males: glossy black birds; males have a greatly enlarged trachea (windpipe) that helps amplify the voice
Females: resemble males, although they lack the male’s vocal anatomy
Displays: singer—does not perform elaborate displays
Mating system: males help raise young
Range: lowlands to mid elevations of far northern Australia New Guinea, and nearby islands
Paradise-crow
Paradise-crow, Lycocorax pyrrhopterus
Genus Lycocorax
(1 species)
Males: large, crowlike black birds with brown wings
Females: resemble males
Displays: poorly known
Mating system: males thought to help raise young
Range: Molucca Islands west of New Guinea