Return to Menu Breeding and Ecology Many Birds of Paradise are highly sexually dimorphic with the males being larger and much more brightly coloured that the females. This applies to 33 of the 42 species. The remaining 35 species are all polygynous with males displaying their bright plumage to attract a number of females. After mating the female builds the nest and raises the 1 or 2, sometimes 3, young on her own. These 'courts' can be quite large and are defended from other males.
Females attend the lek and choose a male to mate with.
One species, the Yellow-breasted Bird of Paradise remains unknown as nothing has yet been observed of its courtship. Most males sing loudly, if not musically to our ears, while displaying. All species, as far as is known, are solitary nesters. Most species lay 1-2, occasionally 3, eggs. Incubation, where known, is between 14 and 26 days with most species taking around 18-19 days.