Parotia sefilata
The Western Parotia (Parotia sefilata) is a medium-sized bird-of-paradise, famed for the male's astonishing iridescent plumage and elaborate courtship display. Males measure around 26-33 cm (10-13 in) and are glossy velvet-black, punctuated by a shimmering iridescent nuchal crest, a bronze-green pectoral shield, and most distinctively, three wire-like plumes tipped with spatulate flags emerging from each side of its head. Females are duller, primarily brown with finely barred underparts, and ...
Occupies primary tropical and subtropical montane rainforests and cloud forests, typically at elevations between 1,100 to 1,900 meters (3,600 to 6,200 feet).
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a variety of fruits, but also supplements its diet with insects, spiders, and occasionally small vertebrates. Forages by gleaning and probing in the forest understory and mid-canopy.
Western Parotias are diurnal and generally solitary outside of the breeding season, though males maintain small territories containing display courts. Males are polygynous, engaging in one of the most remarkable courtship displays in the avian world: the "ballerina" dance. This involves clearing ...
The Western Parotia is entirely endemic to the Vogelkop Peninsula in West Papua, Indonesia. Its restricted range encompasses the montane rainforests of the Arfak Mountains and the Tamrau Mountains, which form the central and northern spine of the peninsula. This species is a non-migratory residen...
Least Concern
- The male Western Parotia performs a mesmerizing "ballerina" dance on a meticulously cleared forest floor, rotating his body and flaring his iridescent flank feathers. - Each male boasts six distinctive wire-like head plumes, three on each side, tipped with small, paddle-shaped flags. - Males sp...