Bird-of-paradise

The birds of paradise are songbirds of the family Paradisaeidae. They live in eastern Indonesia, Maluku, Papua New Guinea, Torres Strait Islands, and eastern Australia. Best known are the members of the genus Paradisaea, including the type species, the greater bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea apoda.
They live in tropical forests like rainforests, swamps and moss forest. They build their nests from soft materials, such as leaves, ferns, and vine monsters, typically placed in a tree fork.
These birds are best known for the remarkable plumage and behaviour of the males. They are an extreme example of how sexual selection works.
Females choose males who they instinctively see are fine specimens of their species. The colours of the plumage, the construction of the nest, the song and the mating dance all play a part. In some species the pairing is monogamous, and in others the males are polygamous. If they are monogamous, the males look much like the females. If they are polygamous, the males are very much flashier than the females. In both cases, it is the female who makes the choice of partner.
Hunting for plumes and habitat destruction have reduced some species to endangered status. Habitat destruction due to deforestation is now the main threat.
Birds of paradise range in size from the king bird of paradise at 3 grams (1.8 oz) and 15 cm (6 in) to the black sicklebill at 110 cm (43 in) and the curl-crested manucode at 430 grams (15.2 oz).
Birds of paradise have bodies which look rather like a crow. They have stout or long bills and strong feet, About two-thirds of the species are strongly sexually dimorphic.
In most species, the diet is mostly fruit, but riflebirds and sicklebills also prefer insects and other arthropods.
Species of birds-of-paradise
Genus Lycocorax
Paradise-crow, Lycocorax pyrrhopterus
Genus Manucodia
Glossy-mantled manucode, Manucodia atra
Jobi manucode, Manucodia jobiensis
Crinkle-collared manucode, Manucodia chalybata
Curl-crested manucode, Manucodia comrii
Trumpet manucode, Manucodia keraudrenii
Genus Paradigalla
Long-tailed paradigalla, Paradigalla carunculata
Short-tailed paradigalla, Paradigalla brevicauda
Genus Astrapia
Arfak astrapia, Astrapia nigra
Splendid astrapia, Astrapia splendidissima
Ribbon-tailed astrapia, Astrapia mayeri
Stephanie's astrapia, Astrapia stephaniae
Huon astrapia, Astrapia rothschildi
Genus Parotia
Western parotia, Parotia sefilata
Carola's parotia, Parotia carolae
Berlepsch's parotia, Parotia berlepschi
Lawes's parotia, Parotia lawesii
Eastern parotia, Parotia helenae
Wahnes's parotia, Parotia wahnesi
Genus Pteridophora
King of Saxony bird of paradise, Pteridophora alberti
Genus Lophorina
Superb bird-of-paradise, Lophorina superbaGenus Ptiloris
Magnificent riflebird, Ptiloris magnificus
Eastern riflebird, Ptiloris intercedens
Paradise riflebird, Ptiloris paradiseus
Victoria's riflebird, Ptiloris victoriae
Genus Epimachus
Black sicklebill, Epimachus fastuosus
Brown sicklebill, Epimachus meyeri
Black-billed sicklebill, Epimachus albertisi
Pale-billed sicklebill, Epimachus bruijnii
Genus Cicinnurus
Magnificent bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus magnificus
Wilson's bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus respublica
King bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus regius
Genus Semioptera
Wallace's Standardwing, Semioptera wallacii
Genus Seleucidis
Twelve-wired bird-of-paradise, Seleucidis melanoleuca
Genus Paradisaea
Lesser bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea minor
Greater bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea apoda
Raggiana bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea raggiana
Goldie's bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea decora
Red bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea rubra
Emperor bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea guilielmi
Blue bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea rudolphi
Greater "melampitta"
Greater melampitta, "Melampitta" gigantea - tentatively included in this group
Formerly placed here
Loria's bird-of-paradise, Cnemophilus loriae - probably closer to Melanocharitidae (berrypeckers) (Cracraft & Feinstein 2000).
Crested bird-of-paradise, Cnemophilus macgregorii - probably closer to Melanocharitidae (Cracraft & Feinstein 2000).
Yellow-breasted bird-of-paradise, Loboparadisea sericea - probably closer to Melanocharitidae (Cracraft & Feinstein 2000).
Macgregor's giant honeyeater (formerly "Macgregor's bird-of-paradise"), Macgregoria pulchra - recently found to be a honeyeater (Cracraft & Feinstein 2000).
Lesser melampitta, Melampitta lugubris - for some time tentatively placed here; probably Orthonychidae (logrunners)
References
Other websites
BBC Arts: Painting paradise: Art meets nature in Papua New Guinea.
Birds of Paradise
Streaming video of a few birds of paradise's courtship display
Birds of Indonesia
Birds of Australia
Birds of Oceania