Wilson's bird-of-paradise is a species of passerine bird of the family Paradisaeidae.
Region
Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua
Typical Environment
Occurs only on Waigeo and Batanta in the Raja Ampat archipelago, inhabiting primary and mature secondary lowland rainforests. It uses dense understory and mid-story strata, often near ridges and gently sloping terrain where males maintain display courts. The species favors interior forest but can persist in lightly disturbed areas if fruiting trees and intact understory remain. Protected forest and community-managed reserves in Raja Ampat support key populations.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Wilson's bird-of-paradise is confined to two small islands off northwest New Guinea and is famed for the male’s incandescent turquoise bare crown and wire-like tail feathers. Males meticulously clear small display courts on the forest floor and perform elaborate dances to attract females. Its restricted range makes habitat protection in the Raja Ampat Islands especially important.
Temperament
shy and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through dense understory
Social Behavior
Polygynous: males defend and meticulously clean small ground courts where they perform solo displays. Females visit courts to assess males, then nest alone in low to mid-level trees. Clutches are typically one, occasionally two eggs, and the female provides all parental care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The male gives clear, high-pitched whistles and thin, piping notes during displays. It also produces soft clicks and buzzing calls at close range, especially when a female approaches the court.
Plumage
Male has velvety black underparts with a fiery red back and mantle blending to golden-yellow on the nape; head crown is naked, glossy turquoise with a black double-cross pattern; tail ends in two wiry, curving filaments. Female is smaller and brown with barred underparts, lacking the male’s vivid crown and tail wires.
Diet
Feeds primarily on fruits and berries, including figs, supplemented by insects and other small arthropods. It gleans from branches, probes clusters of leaves, and occasionally sally-gleans to catch moving prey. Seasonal availability of fruit influences movement within territories.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the understory and mid-canopy of humid lowland forest, often along fruiting trees and vine tangles. It sometimes descends to lower perches near display courts to pick fallen fruit or snatch insects.
