Carola's parotia, also known as Queen Carola's six-wired bird-of-paradise or Queen Carola's parotia, is a species of bird-of-paradise.
Region
New Guinea Highlands
Typical Environment
Found in mid- to upper-montane forests of New Guinea, where it frequents mossy primary forest, forest edges, and fruiting trees. It typically keeps to the midstory and canopy, descending to the understory for display courts. Birds use ridgelines and gently sloping terrain for lek sites. It co-occurs with other frugivores at seasonal fruiting peaks and may venture into lightly disturbed forest near villages.
Altitude Range
1000–2200 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Carola's parotia is a bird-of-paradise famed for the male’s elaborate ‘ballerina’ courtship dance, performed on a meticulously cleaned display court. Males show six wire-like head plumes with spatulate tips and an iridescent breast shield that flashes during displays. The species is named after Queen Carola of Saxony. It is generally shy, spending much of its time in mid-montane forest canopies.
Temperament
shy and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between trees
Social Behavior
Primarily solitary outside of display; males maintain and vigorously defend small ground courts (leks) where they perform for visiting females. Females alone build nests and rear the young. Courtship involves precise postures, feather flaring, and rapid footwork on a cleared display floor.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations include sharp whistles and nasal notes given from perches near the display court. Males also produce distinctive non-vocal sounds—bill snaps, wing rustles, and feather ‘swishes’—as part of the display sequence.
Plumage
Male with velvety dark plumage, a highly iridescent bronze-green breast shield, and elongated, filamentous flank plumes that form a ‘skirt’ during display; female is mottled brown with streaking and lacks ornate plumes.
Diet
Feeds mainly on fruits (including figs and other soft berries) and supplements with arthropods such as insects and spiders. It often follows fruiting events and may forage methodically along branches, gleaning and probing. Opportunistically takes small invertebrates flushed during canopy movement.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the midstory and canopy of mature montane forest, visiting fruiting trees and edges where fruit is abundant. Around lek sites, it may drop lower to feed between display bouts.
