Emperor Bird-of-Paradise

Alternative names: Emperor of Germany Bird-of-Paradise; White-plumed Bird-of-Paradise

Paradisaea guilielmi

Identification

Male 33cm (excluding tail wires), female 31cm.

Male

• Dark emerald green face, throat and upper breast
• Pale straw-yellow rest of head and mantle
• Dark brown with maroon wash rest of upperparts
• Dark brown tail with two grossly elongated centrail tail feathers, forming two long wires
• Large white flank plumes
• Dark maroon lower breast, dark dusky brown belly
• White patch on lower belly
• Dark reddish-brown eye
• Bluish-grey bill
• Dull flesh-brown to brownish pink legs

Female

• Smaller and without elongated tail-feathers or flank-feathers
• Dark brown crown, face, throat and breast
• Duller yellow rest of head and mantle
• Dark brown rest of upperparts
• Mid-brown lower breast and belly

Juveniles undescribed, immature males similar to females.

Distribution

Endemic to the Huon Peninsula in northeast New Guinea.
Has a very small range. Still considered fairly common but population may be in rapid decline due to loss of habitat. Replaced in disturbed habitats by increasing Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.
Hybrids with Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise and Lesser Bird-of-Paradise recorded.

Habitat

Primary hill forest. Occurs at 450 - 1500m, mainly at 670 - 1350m.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds mostly on fruits, takes also some arthropods.

Breeding

Breeding season at least from September to December. A polygynous species. Up to 6 males form a lek in large trees. The display involves several postures and a dance phase.
The female builds and attends the nest alone. One described nest was made of creeper tendrils and vines. Lays 1 - 2 eggs.
No information about movements.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. 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

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Emperor Bird-of-Paradise. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 19 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Emperor_Bird-of-Paradise

External Links

Search for photos of Emperor Bird-of-Paradise in the gallery