[edit] Species

Genus Lycocorax Paradise-crow, Lycocorax pyrrhopterus Genus Manucodia Glossy-mantled Manucode, Manucodia atra Jobi Manucode, Manucodia jobiensis Crinkle-collared Manucode, Manucodia chalybata Curl-crested Manucode, Manucodia comrii Trumpet Manucode, Manucodia keraudrenii Genus Paradigalla Long-tailed Paradigalla, Paradigalla carunculata Short-tailed Paradigalla, Paradigalla brevicauda Genus Astrapia Arfak Astrapia, Astrapia nigra Splendid Astrapia, Astrapia splendidissima Ribbon-tailed Astrapia, Astrapia mayeri Princess Stephanie's Astrapia, Astrapia stephaniae Huon Astrapia, Astrapia rothschildi Genus Parotia Western Parotia, Parotia sefilata Queen Carola's Parotia, Parotia carolae Bronze Parotia, Parotia berlepschi Lawes's Parotia, Parotia lawesii Eastern Parotia, Parotia helenae Wahnes's Parotia, Parotia wahnesi Genus Pteridophora King of Saxony Bird-of-paradise, Pteridophora alberti Genus Lophorina Superb Bird-of-paradise, Lophorina superba

Genus Ptiloris Magnificent Riflebird, Ptiloris magnificus Growling Riflebird, Ptiloris intercedens Paradise Riflebird, Ptiloris paradiseus Victoria's Riflebird, Ptiloris victoriae Genus Epimachus Black Sicklebill, Epimachus fastuosus Brown Sicklebill, Epimachus meyeri Genus Drepanornis Black-billed Sicklebill, Drepanornis albertisi Pale-billed Sicklebill, Drepanornis bruijnii Genus Cicinnurus Magnificent Bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus magnificus Wilson's Bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus respublica King Bird-of-paradise, Cicinnurus regius Genus Semioptera Standardwing, Semioptera wallacii Genus Seleucidis Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise, Seleucidis melanoleuca Genus Paradisaea Lesser Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea minor Greater Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea apoda Raggiana Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea raggiana Goldie's Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea decora Red Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea rubra Emperor Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea guilielmi Blue Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea rudolphi

[edit] Hybrids

Hybrid birds of paradise may occur when individuals of different species, that look similar and have overlapping ranges, confuse each other for their own species and crossbreed.
When Erwin Stresemann realised that hybridisation among birds-of-paradise might be an explanation as to why so many of the described species were so rare, he examinined many controversial specimens and, during the 1920s and 1930s, published several papers on his hypothesis. Many of the species described in the late 19th and early 20th centuries are now generally considered to be hybrids, though some are still subject to dispute; their status is not likely to be settled definitely without genetic examination of museum specimens.
Some named hybrids and presumed hybrids are:^[10]

• Astrapian Sicklebill, also known as the Green-breasted Riflebird, was described as a species (Epimachus astrapioides Rothschild, 1897), but is a hybrid between the Arfak Astrapia and Black Sicklebill.
• Barnes' Astrapia, also known as Barnes’ Long-tail, was described as a species (Astrarchia barnesi Iredale, 1948), but is a hybrid between Ribbon-tailed Astrapia and Stephanie's Astrapia.
• Bensbach's Bird of Paradise, also known as Bensbach's Riflebird, was described as a species (Janthothorax bensbachi Büttikofer, 1894), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Magnificent Riflebird and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
• Blood's Bird of Paradise, also known as Captain Blood’s Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Paradisea bloodi Iredale, 1948), but is a hybrid between the Raggiana Bird of Paradise and Blue Bird of Paradise.
• Duivenbode's Bird of Paradise was described as a species (Paradisea duivenbodei Ménégaux, 1913), but is a hybrid between the Emperor Bird of Paradise and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
• Duivenbode's Riflebird was described as a species (Paryphephorus (Craspediphora) duivenbodei Meyer, 1890), but is a hybrid between the Superb Bird of Paradise and Magnificent Riflebird.
• Duivenbode's Six-wired Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Parotia duivenbodei Rothschild, 1900), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Western Parotia and Superb Bird of Paradise.
• Elliot's Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Epimachus ellioti Ward, 1873), but is a presumed hybrid between the Arfak Astrapia and Black Sicklebill.
• False-lobed Astrapia, also known as the False-lobed Long-tail, was described as a species (Pseudastrapia lobata Rothschild, 1907), but is a hybrid between the Long-tailed Paradigalla and Black Sicklebill.
• Gilliard's Bird of Paradise is a hybrid between the Raggiana Bird of Paradise and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
• King of Holland's Bird of Paradise, also known as King William III’s Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Diphyllodes gulielmi III Meyer, 1875) but is a hybrid between the Magnificent Bird of Paradise and King Bird of Paradise.
• Lupton's Bird of Paradise was described as a subspecies (Paradisea apoda luptoni Lowe, 1923), but is a hybrid between the Raggiana Bird of Paradise and Greater Bird of Paradise.
• Lyre-tailed King Bird of Paradise, also known as the Lonely Little King or Crimson Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Cicinnurus lyogyrus Currie, 1900), but is a hybrid between the Magnificent Bird of Paradise and King Bird of Paradise.
• Mantou's Riflebird, also known as Bruijn’s Riflebird, was described as a species (Craspedophora mantoui Oustalet, 1891), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Magnificent Riflebird and Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise.
• Maria's Bird of Paradise, also known as Frau Reichenow’s Bird of Paradise, was described as a species (Paradisea maria Reichenow, 1894) but is thought to be a hybrid between the Emperor Bird of Paradise and Raggiana Bird of Paradise.
• Mysterious Bird of Bobairo is presumed to be a hybrid between the Black Sicklebill and Superb Bird of Paradise.
• Rothschild's Bird of Paradise was described as a species (Paradisea mixta Rothschild, 1921), but is a hybrid between the Raggiana Bird of Paradise and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
• Rothschild's Lobe-billed Bird of Paradise, also known as the Noble Lobe-bill, was described as a species (Loborhamphus nobilis Rothschild, 1901), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Long-tailed Paradigalla and Superb Bird of Paradise.
• Ruys' Bird of Paradise was described as a species (Neoparadisea ruysi van Oort, 1906), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Magnificent Bird of Paradise and Lesser Bird of Paradise.
• Schodde's Bird of Paradise is a hybrid between the Blue Bird of Paradise and Lawes's Parotia.
• Sharpe's Lobe-billed Parotia, also known as Sharpe’s Lobe-billed Riflebird, was described as a species (Loborhamphus ptilorhis Sharpe, 1908), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Western Parotia and Long-tailed Paradigalla.
• Stresemann's Bird of Paradise was described as a subspecies (Lophorina superba pseudoparotia Stresemann, 1934), but is a hybrid between the Superb Bird of Paradise and Carola's Parotia.
• Wilhelmina's Bird of Paradise, also known as Wilhelmina's Riflebird, was described as a species (Lamprothorax wilhelminae Meyer, 1894), but is presumed to be a hybrid between the Superb Bird of Paradise and Magnificent Bird of Paradise.
• Wonderful Bird of Paradise was described as a species (Paradisea mirabilis Reichenow, 1901), but is a hybrid between the Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise and Lesser Bird of Paradise.

[edit] Gallery

Victoria's Riflebird, Ptiloris victoriae	Arfak Astrapia, Astrapia nigra	King of Saxony Bird-of-paradise, Pteridophora alberti	Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise, Seleucidis melanoleuca
Wallace's Standardwing, Semioptera wallacii	Black-billed Sicklebill, Drepanornis albertisi	Superb Bird-of-paradise, Lophorina superba	Western Parotia, Parotia sefilata

[edit] Relationship with humans

The Blue Bird-of-paradise is listed as vulnerable due to habitat loss

Societies of New Guinea often use bird-of-paradise plumes in their dress and rituals, and the plumes were popular in Europe in past centuries as adornment for ladies' millinery. Hunting for plumes and habitat destruction have reduced some species to endangered status; habitat destruction due to deforestation is now the predominant threat.^[1]
Best known are the members of the genus Paradisaea, including the type species, the Greater Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea apoda. This species was described from specimens brought back to Europe from trading expeditions in the early sixteenth century. These specimens had been prepared by native traders by removing their wings and feet so that they could be used as decorations. This was not known to the explorers, and in the absence of information many beliefs arose about them. They were briefly thought to be the mythical phoenix. The often footless and wingless condition of the skins led to the belief that the birds never landed but were kept permanently aloft by their plumes. The first European to encounter their skins, Antonio Pigafetta, wrote that they "The people told us that those birds came from the terrestrial paradise, and they call them bolon diuata, that is to say, 'birds of God".^[11] This is the origin of both the name "bird of paradise" and the specific name apoda — without feet.^[12]

[edit] Hunting

Hunting of birds of paradise has occurred for a long time, possibly since the beginning of human settlement. It is a peculiarity that among the most frequently-hunted species, males start mating opportunistically even before they grow their ornamental plumage. This may be an adaptation maintaining population levels in the face of hunting pressures, which have probably been present for 30 millennia.^{[citation needed]}
Hunting birds-of-paradise for their plumes for the millinery trade was extensive in the late 19th and early 20th century,^[13] but today the birds enjoy legal protection and hunting is only permitted at a sustainable level to fulfill the ceremonial needs of the local tribal population. In the case of Pteridophora plumes, scavenging from old bowerbird bowers is encouraged.

[edit] Other examples

• The southern hemisphere constellation Apus represents a bird-of-paradise.
• An adult-plumaged male bird-of-paradise is depicted on the Flag of Papua New Guinea.
• The various members of the family were profiled by David Attenborough in Attenborough in Paradise.