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Western parotia

Western parotia

Wikipedia

The western or Arfak parotia is a medium-sized, approximately 33 cm long, bird-of-paradise with a medium-length tail.

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Distribution

Region

Western New Guinea (Vogelkop Peninsula)

Typical Environment

Occurs in the mountains of the Vogelkop (Bird’s Head) Peninsula, especially the Arfak and Tamrau ranges in West Papua, Indonesia. It inhabits primary and mature secondary montane and hill rainforests, including mossy forest and forest edges. Birds frequent fruiting trees in the mid-story and canopy but males display on the forest floor in shaded, relatively open understory. It tolerates some selective logging where fruiting trees remain but is most abundant in intact forest.

Altitude Range

300–1500 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

SizeApprox. 33 cm
Wing Span40–45 cm
Male Weight0.23 kg
Female Weight0.17 kg
Life Expectancy10 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

Males perform an elaborate “ballerina” courtship dance on a meticulously cleaned display court on the forest floor. They fan a skirt of elongated flank plumes and flash an iridescent breast shield while shaking six wire-like head plumes with spatulate tips. Females choose mates based on these displays and raise the young alone. Also known as the Arfak parotia, it is a bird-of-paradise unique to the Vogelkop region of West Papua, Indonesia.

Gallery

Bird photo
Bird photo
Bird photo
Western Parotia at his court

Western Parotia at his court

Behaviour

Temperament

solitary and territorial

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats through dense forest

Social Behavior

Polygynous lekking species; males maintain and defend small courts on the forest floor, clearing leaves and debris before elaborate display bouts. Displays include rapid head shakes, flank plume fanning, and precise, dance-like steps. Females visit courts to assess males and alone builds the nest and rears the single chick.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Vocalizations include clear, ringing whistles and buzzy notes, often given from mid-canopy perches near the display court. Males also produce audible wing snaps and rustling sounds as part of their display. Calls carry well through dense forest understory.

Identification

Leg Colorbluish-grey
Eye Colorpale yellow

Plumage

Male is velvet-black with a bronze to coppery sheen on the back, an iridescent green breast shield, and long, silky white flank feathers forming a skirt during display. Female is warm brown with heavy streaking below and lacks the male’s iridescence and ornaments.

Feeding Habits

Diet

Primarily frugivorous, taking a variety of rainforest fruits and figs plucked from mid-story and canopy branches. Supplements diet with arthropods, particularly during breeding, gleaned from foliage and bark. Opportunistically consumes small invertebrates flushed from the leaf litter around display courts.

Preferred Environment

Feeds at fruiting trees within mature montane and hill rainforest, often moving along ridges and gullies with abundant figs. Will descend to lower strata or the forest floor when foraging near display courts or at fallen fruit.

Population

Total Known Populationunknown

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