Alternative name: Stephanie's Astrapia; (Princess) Stephanie's Bird-of-paradise
- Astrapia stephaniae
Identification
Male 37cm (84 with central rectrices), female 53cm.
Male
- Greatly elongated central pair of tail-feathers, velvety jet-black with iridiscent violet-purple and/or magenta sheen and white central feather shafts at basal third
- Velvety jet-black head with cobalt-blue and/or violet-purple and magenta iridescence
- Velvety jet-black upperparts with bronzed lime-green iridescence
- Jet-black upperwing with strong iridiscent violet-purple and/or magenta sheen
- Metallic bluish-green chin to upper breast, meeting broad are of jet-black breast feathers with iridescent copper-bronze sheen
- Narrow gorget of iridiscent commpery red below
- Rest of underparts coppery red, vent and undertail-coverts dull brownish-black
- Dark brown eye
- Black bill
Female
- Drab blackish-brown head, upperparts and down to chest
- Rufous to blackis below with fine blackish barring
- Long, graduated tail without elongated central pair of tail-feathers.
Similar species
Beware of confusion with Ribbon-tailed Astrapia.
Distribution
Endemic to the mountains of Papua New Guinea.
Common in some areas, scarce in others of its small range.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Two subspecies recognized[1]:
- A. s. feminina in Schrader Range, Bismarck Range and Sepik-Wahgi Divide in eastern New Guinea
- A. s. stephaniae at Doma Peaks, Mount Hagen and Mount Giluwe east to southeast Owen Stanley Range
The described subspecies ducalis is usually merged with the nominate.
Hybrids with Ribbon-tailed Astrapia recorded.
Habitat
Mountain forests, forest edge, disturbed forest and second growth. Occurs at 1280 - 3500m, mainly at 1500 - 2800m.
Behaviour
Usually seen singly, sometimes in small groups or in mixed-species flocks with Brown Sicklebill.
Diet
Feeds mostly on fruits, takes also insects, spiders, frogs and skinks. Uses its open bill probing for food.
Breeding
Breeding season at least from May to December, probably all year. A polygynous species. 2 - 5 males concentrate on leks where they sing and display from traditional perches. The female builds and attends the nest alone. Only a few nests described. Lays 1 egg.
Movements
No information about movements.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2015. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2015, with updates to August 2015. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- 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. (2025) Princess Stephanie's Astrapia. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 21 March 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Princess_Stephanie%27s_Astrapia
