Ptiloris paradiseus
The Paradise Riflebird is a medium-sized passerine and one of Australia's most spectacular birds-of-paradise, belonging to the family Paradisaeidae. Males are strikingly sexually dimorphic, featuring velvety black plumage with an intensely iridescent blue-green crown, throat, and central tail feathers that shimmer with metallic brilliance in sunlight, and prominent elongated central tail feathers; they measure approximately 25-30 cm (10-12 inches) in length. Females are entirely different, di...
Found exclusively in subtropical and temperate rainforests, typically at elevations from sea level up to 1,500 meters (4,900 feet), preferring dense undergrowth and canopy.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a variety of rainforest fruits, especially figs, but also supplementing their diet with invertebrates such as insects and spiders.
Paradise Riflebirds are diurnal and generally solitary outside of the breeding season, though females might be seen with dependent young. Foraging occurs high in the canopy, where they glean insects from bark and foliage or probe for invertebrates in epiphytes, and consume fruits. During the bree...
The Paradise Riflebird is endemic to eastern Australia, with its range extending from the Conondale Range in southeastern Queensland southward through the Great Dividing Range to the Hunter River in central-eastern New South Wales. It is primarily found in a relatively narrow coastal and subcoast...
Least Concern
- The male Paradise Riflebird's courtship display is one of nature's most spectacular, involving a synchronized dance, vocalizations, and the dazzling display of iridescent plumage. - Its common name, 'Riflebird,' is thought to derive from the sharp, 'rifle-shot' sound of the male's piercing call...