Alternative names: Queen Victoria's Riflebird; Victorian Riflebird; Lesser Riflebird
- Ptiloris victoriae
Identification
Male 25cm (9¾ in), female 23cm (9 in). A fairly large Bird-of-paradise with a fairly long, decurved bill and a short tail.
Male
- Mostly velvety jet-black plumage with rich silk-like purple/magenta sheen above
- Greenish-blue to blue-green crown
- Central pair of tail feathers metallic bluish-green
- Metallic purple-washed greenish-blue triangular breast shield
- Olive-grey to oily olive-green belly to undertail-coverts
- Dark brown eye
- Shiny black bill
- Pale yellow gape
- Bright yellow or lime-yellow mouth
Female
- Smaller than male but with larger bill
- Grey to grey-brown above with rufous panel on wing
- Broad whitish superciliary stripe
- Whitish chin and submoustachial area
- Buff throat and upper breast, rich cinnamon below with small blackish chevron marks, becoming more bar-like on sides
Juveniles like females but with indistinctly barred (not spotted) underparts.
Similar species
Smaller than similar Paradise Riflebird, breast shield narrower and smaller and lower underparts more bronze-yellow. Females differ significantly.
Photo © by mthompson
Paluma rainforest, Queensland, Australia, August 2009
Distribution
Atherton Tableland region of northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Common in parts of its small range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Has been considered conspecific with Magnificent Riflebird.
Habitat
Lowland and hill rainforest. Also in adjacent eucalyptus forest, edge of mangroves and gardens. Occurs from sea-level up to 1200m.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes insects, and fruit which they peel by holding the fruit with one foot and removing the skin with their bill. Takes also flower nectar.
Gallery
Click on photo for larger image
Displaying immature male
Photo © by peterday
Atherton Tableland, Queensland, Australia
Displaying immature males
Photo © by peterday
Atherton Tableland, Queensland, Australia
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Breeding
Breeding season at least from August to February. A polygynous species. The male advertises by singing from several traditional perches and performs a similar display like Paradise Riflebird. The female builds and attends the nest alone.
The male displays by erecting the feathers of his throat and sides to accentuate the bright colours of his plumage, curving his rounded wings above his body and tilting his head back to expose his chin and throat to the light, and then moves from side to side. The nest is sometimes decorated with snake skin. 1 - 3 eggs are laid.
Movements
A resident species.
Vocalisation
The call is a loud yaars.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. 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. (2024) Victoria's Riflebird. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 17 September 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Victoria%27s_Riflebird
External Links
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