The Bird Of Paradise
Arena Birds
Considered one of the most beautiful birds, the bird of paradise contains about 45 species belonging to the family Paradisaeidae and the order Passeriformes. The genus and species name of the great bird of paradise is Paradisaea apoda; the lesser bird of paradise is Paradisaea minor; the king bird of paradise is Cicinnurus regius; and the "12-wired" bird of paradise is Seleucidis melanoleuca. Birds of paradise live in trees in the forests of New Guinea, neighboring islands and eastern Australia. They are endemic to the their homelands; they do not migrate. They can also be seen in the Bronx Zoo, San Antonio Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo, San Diego Zoo and Honolulu Zoo.Female birds of paradise are dull in color while most males have spectacular plumage or feathers. Plumage varies from black to iridescent green to red. Although they are brightly colored, their flight is slow. Their strong beak, strong feet, loud voices and good flying endurance are all due to their close relationship to crows.
The different species birds of paradise are marked differently. The Raggiana has dull brown females and males with orange feathers, green chin and yellow crown. They are typically about 13 inches long. Their flight is wavier than other birds of paradise. The male likes to perform his sexual displays on the treetops.
The Magnificent Bird of Paradise is only about 7 inches long. They have a dark underside and golden back with iridescent colors and blue beak and legs. The male is so heavy looking that he appears almost tailless. The female is a dull brown color with stripes on her lower half. Rather than displaying high on the treetops, the Magnificent bird of paradise displays on the ground.
The Superb Bird of Paradise is about 10 inches long. The male is black with an iridescent blue underside while the female is a dull blackish color. The males display themselves in the canopy of the forests or about the middle region.
The diet of birds of paradise consists of fruits, insects, small frogs and lizards.
Birds of paradise are usually solitary animals. Males establish leks, or tightly guarded territories. Their nickname of arena birds arises from their territorial disputes. They have intricate mating displays where the male tries to attract a female using wild dances.
The female incubates the eggs, which is usually two. Female birds of paradise build the nests and tend to their young without the help of the male. However, some species of birds of paradise have both a dull-colored male and a dull-colored female raising the young. The newly hatched chicks can have feathers or be naked, with no feathers.
Only some of the species of birds of paradise are endangered. To ensure that the remaining species to not get added to the endangered list, the government of New Guinea protects all bird of paradise species. One method to aid in the survival of the bird of paradise is a breeding program which breeds birds of paradise outside of their natural habitat to ensure the species will continue.
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