Short-tailed Paradigalla

Alternative names: Short-tailed Wattle Bird; Blue-and-yellow Wattled Bird-of-paradise; Blue-and-yellow Short-tailed Bird-of-paradise

Paradigalla brevicauda

Identification

23cm. Black plumaged bird of paradise with slender black bill and bright yellow and blue wattles in front of each eye. The sexes are almost similar in appearance: the female is smaller than the male with a duller plumage and smaller wattles. 23cm. Smaller than similar Long-tailed Paradigalla.

• Prominent yellow facial wattles
• Small sky-blue wattle on base of lower mandibles
• Very short tail
• Black plumage with bluish-green iridescence
• Dark brown eye
• Black bill

Sexes similar. Females are slightly smaller than males and slightly duller. They have a longer tail than males. Immatures like adults but with a longer tail which becomes shorter with age.

Distribution

Endemic to the central mountain ranges of New Guinea.
Patchily distributed, uncommon over most of its range.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1].
Forms a superspecies with Long-tailed Paradigalla and has been considered conspecific in the past.
Birds from Utakawa River were described as subspecies intermedia but this isn't recognized widely.

Habitat

Middle montane forest, secondary growth, forest edge and edge of gardens. Occurs at 1400 - 2580, mainly at 1600 - 2400m.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds on fruits but also animals including spiders, insects, worms, frogs and skinks.
Usually encountered foraging singly.

Breeding

Breeding recorded in all months except March and November. Most probably a polygynous species, the male spending its time on a songpost to attract females, the female builds and attends the nest alone.
The nest is a cup made of vine tendrils, moss, fern fronds and orchids. It's placed 5 - 11m above the ground in a branching fork. Lays 1 egg.

Movements

Presumably a resident species.

References

1. 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.
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) Short-tailed Paradigalla. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 24 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Short-tailed_Paradigalla

External Links

Search for photos of Short-tailed Paradigalla in the gallery