Greater bird-of-paradise

The greater bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea apoda) is a bird-of-paradise in the genus Paradisaea.

Carolus Linnaeus named the species Paradisaea apoda, or "legless bird-of-paradise". Apparently, early trade-skins to reach Europe were prepared without wings or feet by natives. This led to the stary that these birds were beautiful visitors from paradise kept aloft by their plumes and never touched the earth until death.Jobling, James A. 1991. A dictionary of scientific bird names. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 15–16.  The relevant point is that they were killed and traded for their feathers.

Description
The greater bird-of-paradise is the largest member in its genus. Males measuring up to  (excluding the long twin tail wires). The female is smaller, at only .

The plumage of this species is also sexually dimorphic. The male has an iridescent green face and a yellow with silver crown, head and nape. The rest of the body plumage is maroon-brown. The flank plumes, used in displays, are yellow at the base, turning white and streaked with maroon.

The female has unbarred maroon brown plumage. In both sexes the iris is yellow and the bills blue.Firth, Clifford B. & Firth, Dawn W. 2009. Family Paradisaeidae (Birds-of-paradise). In del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Christie, David. Handbook of the Birds of the World, volume 14, Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp. 487–488. 

 References 

Category:Birds of Asia
Category:Birds of Indonesia
Category:Paradisaeidae
Category:Birds of Oceania