Family Birds-of-paradise (Paradisaeidae)
Least Concern
Stephanie's Astrapia (Astrapia stephaniae)
Taxonomy
French: Paradisier de Stéphanie German: Stephanieparadieselster Spanish: Ave del paraíso de Estefanía
Other common names:
Princess Stephanie's Astrapia
Taxonomy:
Astrarchia stephaniae
Finsch and A. B. Meyer
, 1885,Hufeisengebirge [Horseshoe Mountains = Mount Maguli], south-eastern New Guinea
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Subspecies and Distribution
A. s. feminina
Neumann, 1922 – Schrader Range, Bismarck Range and Sepik–Wahgi Divide, in E New Guinea.
A. s. stephaniae
(Finsch & A. B. Meyer, 1885) – Doma Peaks, Mt Hagen and Mt Giluwe E (including Mt Ialibu, Kubor Range, Mt Karimui, Mt Michael, and Kratke and Herzog Ranges) to SE Owen Stanley Range (Mt Dayman).
Descriptive notes
Male 37 cm (84 cm with central rectrices included), 144–169 g; female 53 cm, 123–159 g. Medium-sized astrapia with large graduated tail, rectrices other than... read more
Voice
Little noted; male not known for loud advertisement. Call of male described as "nge, nge, nge... read more
Habitat
Middle montane, upper montane and subalpine forests, including forest edge, selectively logged... read more
Food and feeding
Mostly fruits, especially of Schefflera, also insects, spiders (Araneae), frogs (Anura), skinks (Scincidae). Forages mostly in... read more
Breeding
Breeding recorded at least May–Dec; egg-laying Jun and Oct–Dec, and fledglings observed Jul (Mt Giluwe) and Nov (Ambua Range);... read more
Movements
No information.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened. Restricted range species: present in Central Papuan Mountains EBA. CITES II. Common in some areas; sparse in others with apparently suitable habitat... read more
Extensive hybridization with A. mayeri in W of range (from Doma Peaks E in narrow zone of altitudinal overlap to Mt Hagen/Mt Giluwe). Races poorly differentiated; species perhaps better treated as monotypic. Proposed race ducalis (Dawong, in Herzog Mts) included in nominate. Two subspecies recognized.