By Nutan Shukla B IRDS of paradise are known for their extraordinary colourful plumage, and their bizarre and exotic appearance.
Females are dull in colour, but males are brilliantly hued with iridescent plumage.
Why these birds have been given this heavenly name has a very interesting story behind it. The presents included feathers with exotic shapes and brilliant colours. When the people of Spain saw these feathers they could not believe that such beautiful things came from forests in south-east Asia, they thought the feathers must have come from paradise. Hence these birds were given the name birds of paradise. In both cases a great deal of preparation is done by the males.