FeatherScan logo
FeatherScan
Overview
Long-tailed paradigalla

Long-tailed paradigalla

Wikipedia

The long-tailed paradigalla is a large, approximately 37 cm long, black bird-of-paradise with long and pointed tail. One of the most plain members in the family Paradisaeidae, its only adornment is the colorful facial wattles of yellow, red and sky-blue near base of the bill. Both sexes are similar in appearance, however the female is slightly duller and smaller.

Loading map...

Distribution

Region

New Guinea Highlands

Typical Environment

Occupies mid-montane to upper-montane forests across the central and eastern highlands of New Guinea, extending into mature mossy forests and forest edges. Prefers primary forest but will use well-developed secondary forest where large fruiting trees persist. Often forages in the mid to upper canopy, moving quietly through dense foliage. Occurs locally around fruiting trees and along ridgelines and forested valleys. Generally absent from lowland rainforest and heavily disturbed areas.

Altitude Range

1200–2800 m

Climate Zone

Highland

Characteristics

Size35–40 cm
Wing Span45–55 cm
Male Weight0.2 kg
Female Weight0.17 kg
Life Expectancy10 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

This bird-of-paradise is unusual in the family for having relatively plain black plumage; its standout features are the tri-colored facial wattles of yellow, red, and sky-blue at the bill base. Both sexes look similar, with females slightly smaller and duller—another atypical trait among birds-of-paradise where sexual dimorphism is often extreme. The long, pointed tail separates it from the Short-tailed Paradigalla, which is more restricted to the far northwest of New Guinea. The wattles can appear more vivid when the bird is alert or displaying.

Gallery

Bird photo
Bird photo

Behaviour

Temperament

shy and wary

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats

Social Behavior

Typically solitary or found in loose pairs, gathering more often at fruiting trees. Courtship is comparatively subdued for a bird-of-paradise, with posturing that highlights the facial wattles. Nesting occurs in trees; the female is believed to carry most or all of the incubation and chick rearing.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Vocalizations are a mix of harsh, rasping notes and short whistles delivered from inside the canopy. Calls are not especially musical and can be easily overlooked against forest background sounds.

Similar Bird Species

Long-tailed paradise whydah
Native

Long-tailed paradise whydah

The long-tailed paradise whydah or eastern paradise whydah is from the family Viduidae of the order Passeriformes. They are small passerines with short, stubby bills found across Sub-Saharan Africa. They are mostly granivorous and feed on seeds that have ripened and fallen on the ground. The ability to distinguish between males and females is quite difficult unless it is breeding season. During this time, the males molt into breeding plumage where they have one distinctive feature which is their long tail. It can grow up to three times longer than its own body or even more. Usually, the whydahs look like ordinary sparrows with short tails during the non-breeding season. In addition, hybridization can occur with these paradise whydahs. Males are able to mimic songs where females can use that to discover their mate. However, there are some cases where females don't use songs to choose their mate but they use either male characteristics like plumages or they can have a shortage of options with song mimicry. Paradise whydahs are brood parasites. They won't destroy the eggs that are originally there but will lay their own eggs in other songbirds nest. Overall, these whydahs are considered least concerned based on the IUCN Red List of threatened species.

Long-tailed parakeet
Resident

Long-tailed parakeet

The long-tailed parakeet or Burung Bayan Nuri in Malay is a parakeet endemic to the regions of Andaman and Nicobar islands, Sumatra, Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia. It is allopatric with the congener, the Red-breasted parakeet, Psittacula alexandri, except in the Andaman islands where they occur together.

Long-tailed potoo
Resident

Long-tailed potoo

The long-tailed potoo is a species of bird in the family Nyctibiidae. It is found in every mainland South American country except Chile and Uruguay.

Long-tailed reed finch
Native

Long-tailed reed finch

The long-tailed reed finch is a species of South American bird in the tanager family Thraupidae. It is the only member of its genus Donacospiza.

Long-tailed shrike
Resident

Long-tailed shrike

The long-tailed shrike or rufous-backed shrike is a member of the bird family Laniidae, the shrikes. They are found widely distributed across Asia and there are variations in plumage across the range. The species ranges across much of Asia, both on the mainland and the eastern archipelagos. The eastern or Himalayan subspecies, L. s. tricolor, is sometimes called the black-headed shrike. Although there are considerable differences in plumage among the subspecies, they all have a long and narrow black tail, have a black mask and forehead, rufous rump and flanks and a small white patch on the shoulder. It is considered to form a superspecies with the grey-backed shrike which breeds on the Tibetan Plateau.

Long-tailed sibia
Resident

Long-tailed sibia

The long-tailed sibia is a species of Leiothrichidae from Southeast Asia. The species was once placed in the large family Timaliidae, but that family is sometimes split with this species being placed with the laughingthrushes in the family Leiothrichidae. The species is sometimes treated as the only species in the genus Heterophasia, with the other species being placed in the genus Malacias.