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The Red Bird Of Paradise
An Indonesian endemic,
the Red Bird of Paradise is distributed to lowland rainforests of Waigeo and
Batanta islands of West Papua. This species shares its home with another bird
of paradise, the Wilson's Bird of Paradise. Hybridisation between these two
species are expected but not recorded yet.
The Red Bird of
Paradise, Paradisaea rubra is a large, up to 33cm long, brown and yellow bird
of paradise with a dark brown iris, grey legs and yellow bill. The male has an
emerald green face, a pair of elongated black corkscrew-shaped tail wires, dark
green feather pompoms above each eye and a train of glossy crimson red plumes
with whitish tips at either side of the breast.
The male measures up
to 72 cm long, including the ornamental red plumes that require at least six
years to fully attain. The female resembles the male but is smaller in size,
with a dark brown face and has no ornamental red plumes. The diet consists
mainly of fruits, berries and arthropods.
