Alternative names: Queen Carola's Six-wired Bird-of-paradise; Queen Carola's Parotia
- Parotia carolae
Identification
Male 26cm, female 25cm. A distinctive short-tailed Parotia.
Male
- Velevety black plumage
- Three ornamental head wires behind each eye
- Elongated display side feathers
- White plumes on flanks
- Gold and white crest
- Gold whiskers and eyebrow
- Bronzed yellow-green and/or magenta to pink iridescent throat
- Sulphur-yellow eye
Female
- Brownish plumage
- Grey barred underparts
Juveniles are undescribed, immature males similar to females.
Distribution
Endemic to the mountains of New Guinea.
Fairly common and widespread.
Taxonomy
Subspecies[1]
There are 5 subspecies:
- P. c. carolae:
- Western New Guinea (Weyland Mountains east to Wissel Lakes)
- P. c. meeki:
- New Guinea (Snow Mountains to Victor Emanuel Mountains)
- P. c. chalcothorax:
- Western New Guinea (Doorman Mountains)
- P. c. clelandiae:
- Papua New Guinea border to southern watershed of Eastern Highlands
- P. c. chrysenia:
- Eastern New Guinea (northern escarpment of Central Highlands)
Bronze Parotia was formerly considered to be a subspecies of this species.
Hybrids with Lophorinas have been recorded.
Habitat
Middle montane forests. Aso in regrowth and abandoned gardens. Occurs at 1100 - 2200m, mainly at 1450 - 1800m.
Behaviour
Presumably a resident species.
Diet
Feeds on fruits and animals. Seeks insects by probing.
Breeding
Breeding season at leat from September to October. A polygynous species. The male attends a terrestrial court where it shows a complex display courtship involving a dance. The female builds and attends the nest alone. No information about nest, nest-site or clutch size.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- Avibase
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Carola's Parotia. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Carola%27s_Parotia
