Semioptera wallacii
The Standardwing, *Semioptera wallacii*, is an exquisitely beautiful and historically significant member of the bird-of-paradise family, Paradisaeidae. Males are a spectacle of iridescent plumage and unique feather structures, growing to about 28 cm in length, excluding their remarkable 'standards'. Their head is velvety black, featuring a metallic purple-lilac crown and nape, and a shimmering emerald green gorget that contrasts with an otherwise olive-brown body. The most distinctive field m...
Found primarily in lowland and hill rainforests, often extending into mature secondary growth, typically from sea level up to elevations of around 1100 meters.
The Standardwing feeds primarily on a variety of fruits, especially figs, supplemented with a significant proportion of arthropods like insects and spiders, which they glean from foliage and bark.
Standardwings are diurnal birds, active from dawn to dusk foraging and displaying. Males are famously polygynous, engaging in elaborate lekking displays where groups of 3-10 individuals gather on traditional display trees. Each male clears a small perch of leaves and debris, then performs a mesme...
The Standardwing is endemic to a restricted archipelago within the North Moluccas (Maluku Utara) in eastern Indonesia. Its primary breeding range encompasses the larger islands of Halmahera, Bacan, Morotai, and Obi, with smaller populations also confirmed on Kasiruta. This species is non-migrator...
Least Concern
- The Standardwing was the first bird-of-paradise ever discovered by the renowned naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1858, and it bears his name in scientific honor. - Its common name, 'Standardwing,' refers to the unique, elongated, racquet-tipped feathers that extend from the wings of the male...