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Magnificent Riflebird

The Magnificent Riflebird is actually a Bird-of-Paradise, and belongs to the family Paradisaeidae. Like all members of that family, it lives in New Guinea and parts of northern Australia. It inhabits the lowland rainforests that are found there.

Like other Birds-of-Paradise, the Magnificent Riflebird is sexually dimorphic. Males are a smooth, velvety black, with shiny blue-green crowns and breasts. Females are brown and buff all over.

Males use their shiny feathers and smooth moves to attract females. When the breeding season arrives, he will select a perch and call out to nearby ladies. When one arrives, he will raise up his wings, puff out his chest, and dance around her while bobbing his head back and forth to show off the blue-feathers. If the female enjoys the dance, the male will surround her with his wings while they briefly mate. After mating, the females goes on her way while the male continues to try and impress additional mates.

But my words do this dance no justice-- watch the video!

IUCN Status : Least Concern
Location : New Guinea, Australia
Size : Body Length up to 13in (33cm)
Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Passeriformes
Family : Paradisaeidae -- Genus : Ptiloris -- Species : P. magnificus
Image : Birds From Eden
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Comments

  1. Danice GOctober 23, 2013 at 1:35 AM

    What an interesting and unique bird. That is so awesome :)

    ReplyDelete

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