Raggiana

Tagged: animal, animals, bird, insect

Raggiana Bird of Paradise
( image )

The Raggiana Bird of Paradise is found in southern and eastern papua New Guinea, from Milne Bay in the east to the border of Irian Jaya in the west. Vibrantly coloured and adorned with a flourish of fluffy scarlet plumes, the male Raggiana bird of Paradise is one of the most spectacular-looking members of a flamboyant family. Male birds of paradise are renowned for their showy plumage and for their extraordinary courtship displays to attract mates. Like the majority of its relatives, the Raggiana bird of paradise resides in the tropical rainforests and mountain forests of the island of New Guinea.

Lord of the Dance

The Raggiana bird of Paradise is a solitary tree dweller, and the males and females have little contact with each other outside the breeding season. Whereas the male is brighly coloured, the females is plain and brown and it is she that choose her mate. The males therefore have to impress and have an established display area of perches, known as a lek, where they dance for the females. Up to 20 males gather in a tall tree. Perched on a branch, they flap their wings, fluff out their plumes and shriek loudly. When a female shows interest, they bend over and quiver their plumes or even turn upside down. After mating, a male resumes his dance, hoping to attract more mates.

Part of body

• Strong legs and feet – enable the male to keep a firm grip on its perch as it sways and leans forward to display its feathers
• The male bird bunches of scarlet lacy plumes sprouting from its flanks beneath its wings. during display, these plumes are thrown open to create a fountain of colour as the bird swings upside down
• Golden yellow head and deep green throat from part of the male bird’s exotic livery
• Short, rounded wings – are spread open during display and are strong enough to carry it, and its plumage, through the air

Statistics

• status – locally common
• lenght – male 71 cm including plumage; female 28 cm
• wingspan – 48-63 cm
• weight – male up to 340 g; female up to 200 g
• migration – non migrant
• plumage – sexes differ. Also non-breeding and breeding plumage differ
• breeding season – September to November
• incubation period – 18-20 days
• number of eggs – 1-2
• diet – fruit, insects, spiders
• lifespan – 15-25 years

Myth or fact

When bird of paradise skins were first exported in the 16th century, New Guinea natives prepared them by cutting off their feet and wings. When sailors asked how these strange birds lived, they were told they were birds of the gods and floated around in heaven, feeding on dew, until they died. Then they fell to earth. It was 150 years before this myth was dispelled.

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