This beauty has also had the positive result that they have recieved a fair amount of attention from ornithologists over the last 150 years. There are 42 species of Birds of Paradise in 17 genera distributed mainly across the Islands of Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya as well as in North Eastern Australia. Birds of Paradise are related to crows and all species have 10 primaries and 12 tail feathers. Many species have greatly elongated and elaborate sets of feathers arising form the tail, wings or head. Birds of Paradise are relatively large birds which for the most part occupy distinct habitats.
Many species show an altitude controlled distribution.
Birds of Paradise, as far as is known, are relatively long-lived birds with lives extending well over 15 and perhaps up to 25 years. The males of some species take up to 5 years to mature and attain their splendid plumage, females, however, breed in their second year. The sicklebills are predominantly insectivorous and possess long down-curved bills which they use for digging insects out of rotten wood, or from behind bark. Rifle birds, which are also insectivorous are almost woodpecker-like in the effort they expend to dig out insect larvae out of dead wood. In the lowland rainforests, Birds of Paradise typically forage in the forest at a height of between 20 to 30 m above ground.