Kingdom Animalia Scientific name Lophorina superba Rank Species Order Passerine | Family Paradisaeidae Phylum Chordata Higher classification Lophorina | |
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Genus Lophorina
Vieillot, 1816 Similar Bird‑of‑paradise, Bird, Magnificent bird‑of‑paradise, Twelve‑wired bird‑of‑paradise, Parotia | ||
Superb bird of paradise
The superb bird-of-paradise (Lophorina superba), is a species of the Paradisaeidae (bird-of-paradise) family. It is the only member in the genus Lophorina.
Contents
- Superb bird of paradise
- Superb bird of paradise psychedelic smiley face
- Description
- Courtship display
- Distribution and habitat
- Status
- Subspecies
- References
Superb bird of paradise psychedelic smiley face
Description
Lophorina superba is a small, approximately 26 cm long, (passerine) bird. The male is black with an iridescent green crown, blue-green breast cover and a long velvety black erectile cape covering his back. The female is a reddish-brown bird with brownish barred buff below. The young is similar to the female.
Courtship display
The species has an unusually low population of females, and competition amongst males for mates is intensely fierce. This has led the species to have one of the most bizarre and elaborate courtship displays in the avian world. After carefully and meticulously preparing a "dance floor" (even scrubbing the dirt or branch smooth with leaves), the male first attracts a female with a loud call. After the curious female approaches, his folded black feather cape and blue-green breast shield springs upward and spreads widely and symmetrically around its head, instantly transforming the frontal view of the bird into a spectacular ellipse-shaped creature that rhythmically snaps its tail feathers against each other, similar to how snapping fingers work, whilst hopping in frantic circles around the female. The average female rejects 15-20 potential suitors before consenting to mate.
Distribution and habitat
The superb bird-of-paradise is distributed throughout rainforests of New Guinea.
Status
Although heavily hunted for its plumes, the superb bird-of-paradise is one of the most common and widespread birds of paradise in the forests of New Guinea. The superb bird-of-paradise is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.
Subspecies
