Astrapia stephaniae
Princess Stephanie's Astrapia is a truly magnificent medium-sized bird-of-paradise, renowned for the male's spectacularly ornate tail streamers. Males reach an impressive length of up to 84 cm, with their two velvety blackish-purple tail feathers contributing up to 50 cm of this, featuring striking white central shafts. Their iridescent plumage, which includes a velvety black head, a shimmering blue-green crown and mantle, and a bronze-green upper breast, shifts dramatically with the light, c...
Inhabits high-altitude montane cloud forests, upper montane forests, and associated forest edges, typically found between 1,500 and 2,800 meters (4,900 to 9,200 feet) above sea level.
Feeds primarily on a variety of fruits, including pandanus, complemented by insects, spiders, and nectar gleaned from flowering plants, predominantly through arboreal foraging.
Primarily diurnal, Princess Stephanie's Astrapia forages actively throughout the day, often singly or in small groups. Males are polygynous, engaging in elaborate courtship displays at traditional lek sites or individual display perches. Their display involves spectacular aerial maneuvers, where ...
Princess Stephanie's Astrapia is endemic to the central highlands of Papua New Guinea, with a well-defined distribution across its mountainous terrain. Its range extends eastward from the Huon Peninsula through the Kratke, Bismarck, and Kubor Ranges, continuing westward into the Star Mountains an...
Least Concern
- This species was named by Otto Finsch in 1885 to honor Princess Stéphanie of Belgium, who was then the Crown Princess of Austria-Hungary. - The male's tail streamers are among the longest in the bird world relative to body size, often exceeding half a meter (20 inches) in length. - The genus na...