Family Birds-of-paradise (Paradisaeidae)
Vulnerable
Blue Bird-of-paradise (Paradisornis rudolphi)
Taxonomy
French: Paradisier bleu German: Blauparadiesvogel Spanish: Ave del paraíso azul
Taxonomy:
Paradisornis Rudolphi
Finsch and A. B. Meyer
, 1885,Hufeisengebirge [Horseshoe Mountains = Mount Maguli], south-eastern New Guinea
.
Subspecies and Distribution
P. r. margaritae
(Mayr & Gilliard, 1951) – EC New Guinea (Tari area, Enga Highlands, Sepik–Wahgi Divide, Kubor Range, Mt Giluwe, Mt Hagen, Mt Karimui, Bismarck Range).
P. r. rudolphi
Finsch & A. B. Meyer, 1885 – SE New Guinea from Eastern Highlands (Okapa) and Herzog Mts SE to Owen Stanley Range.
Descriptive notes
Male 30 cm (excluding tail wires), 158–189 g; female 30 cm, 124–166 g. Male nominate race has head, neck and mantle glossy jet-black with iridescent bronzed-green... read more
Voice
Advertisment call of male "kwank", reminisent of that of P. raggiana but lower-... read more
Habitat
Lower montane forest, forest edge, and denser older secondary growth of fallow gardens; 1100–... read more
Food and feeding
Mostly fruits, especially figs (Ficus), drupes, berries; also some animals, mostly arthropods, possibly lizards. Forages in high... read more
Breeding
Across species' range breeding can occur at any time of year, mostly Jul–Feb; egg-laying Apr, nestling Nov–Dec, and newly... read more
Movements
Presumably resident.
Status and conservation
VULNERABLE. Restricted to the eastern Central Ranges of Papua New Guinea, part of the Central Papuan Mountains EBA. CITES II. Uncommon throughout range; absent from some... read more
Hybridization with Parotia lawesii and Paradisaea raggiana recorded. Proposed race ampla (Mt Missim, in SE New Guinea) included in nominate. Two subspecies recognized.