BIRDS OF PARADISE

MALE EMPEROR

The name 'Birds of Paradise' came from the idea that they floated in heavenly paradise and therefore don't need any wings or limbs. Because the birds were so illusive that they were only found when they died and fell to earth. That is when the highlanders of New Guinea found the birds, hence the belief. A further reason gave the belief credibility that the highlanders presented the birds with the feathers on the skin and no wings or legs. These birds are rarely seen and especially when they display their plumes in courtship.

The facts about these birds are as extra-ordinarily as their mythology. All in all there are 43 species and they live in the remote mountainous jungle of New Guinea. Any self-respecting highlanders used these feathers for his or hers decoration. Scientists think they are distance cousins of starlings. Their sizes are from thrush to 

BROWN SICKELBILL

RAGGIANA 

The females and juveniles do not have feather like that to display. The male have these bizarre plumages. They display their plumages in courtship and it varies from bird to bird. Some are quite bizarre. They are very shy birds and only a handful scientists managed to watch them in the wild showing their full beauty of plumage in courtship.

The birds of paradise have more than one female. In displaying their plumage they want to attract as many female as possible. For instance, the raggiana birds perform in a community at a special place and strange sounds and songs are made.

It is understood that the male can use all its time to perform because they live in an area of hardly any predators and with plenty of food. The female can raise its young ones by herself and without any worries of being attacked.

The male bird has the most striking colours in the animal kingdom. A bright yellow plumes fans out over the back. Strange iridescent collars and breast feather held out extraordinary angles at a display. One has an azure blue collar which sticks out almost at right angles.

WILSON'S BIRD

The Wilson's bird, a thrush size, has shining crimson feather down its back. On his neck it has green, yellow and chestnut feather, bright blue feet and an unbelievable neon-blue bald batch on top of its head. When he sees a female he sticks out his strange wire-like tail feathers and puff up his chest and neck to turn the whole shape into a colourful display box.

LAWE'S SIX-WIRED PAROTIA

The male Lawe's six-wired parotia adopts another bizarre behaviour to attract the female. First of all he makes himself an odd shape and then he hops sideways, pulsates his neck shield which is a triangular of various bright, shining, coloured feathers, and then he nods so that his six-long quilted head feathers tremble in a haze.

KING BIRD

The king bird of paradise is almost impossible to be seen. He has vivid blood red and white feathers. It only can be spotted during his overt treetop display and risks to be attract by eagles.

BLUE BIRD

The male blue bird of paradise swings low to dazzle a female with the upside-down climax. Its shimmering, vibrating, sapphire plumage is accompanied by a throbbing sound and as the experts quote like a spin dryer gone wild

RIBBON BIRD

The male-ribbon bird has the longest tail feathers of any bird of this size.

KING OF SAXONY BIRD

The king of Saxony bird has two feathers sprouting out of his head like enormous eyebrows. They are twice as long as its body.

TWELVE-WIRED BIRD

The male twelve-wired bird has six feathers growing from his flank and is like wiry filament. In his display he holds them up erect at the back in a straggly web. He brushes the female's face with it.

Instead of a bright coloured display of feathers, some birds do an impressive dance.

WESTERN PAROTIA

The western parotia is a blackbird with a shining top on its head. It clears the floor and when the female surround him he starts to dance. At first he hops around strangely. When it gets more exited it spread his feather to create a cloak. Then he bobs up and down and hops on the spot, at the same time jerking its head from side to side to whirl a ring of quills which stick out of its head.

The whole performance is so unlike a bird's behaviour but the female seemed to be impressed and the best dancers get the lady. Furthermore, the juveniles practising before they watch the masters. They spent several years before their dance routine is perfect. Then they too take the centre stage.

The traders brought these feathers back since the 15th century to Europe. The real climax came in the 19th century when it was the most fashionable thing to decorate the bonnets with the feather of these beautiful birds.