Greater bird-of-paradise

Greater bird-of-paradise
	Male
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Paradisaeidae
Genus:	Paradisaea
Species:	P. apoda
Binomial name
	Paradisaea apoda; Linnaeus, 1758
	Paradisaea apoda Paradisaea raggiana

The greater bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea apoda) is a bird-of-paradise in the genus Paradisaea.

Carolus Linnaeus named the species Paradisaea apoda, or "legless bird-of-paradise". Apparently, early trade-skins to reach Europe were prepared without wings or feet by natives. This led to the stary that these birds were beautiful visitors from paradise kept aloft by their plumes and never touched the earth until death.^[2] The relevant point is that they were killed and traded for their feathers.

Description

The greater bird-of-paradise is the largest member in its genus. Males measuring up to 43 cm (17 in) (excluding the long twin tail wires). The female is smaller, at only 35 cm (14 in).

The plumage of this species is also sexually dimorphic. The male has an iridescent green face and a yellow with silver crown, head and nape. The rest of the body plumage is maroon-brown. The flank plumes, used in displays, are yellow at the base, turning white and streaked with maroon.

The female has unbarred maroon brown plumage. In both sexes the iris is yellow and the bills blue.^[3]

References

↑ BirdLife International (2012). "Paradisaea apoda". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.old-form url
↑ Jobling, James A. 1991. A dictionary of scientific bird names. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 15–16. ISBN 0-19-854634-3
↑ Firth, Clifford B. & Firth, Dawn W. 2009. Family Paradisaeidae (Birds-of-paradise). In del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Christie, David. Handbook of the Birds of the World, volume 14, Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp. 487–488. ISBN 978-84-96553-50-7

[1] BirdLife International (2012). "Paradisaea apoda". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2013.old-form url

[Jobling1991-2] Jobling, James A. 1991. A dictionary of scientific bird names. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 15–16. ISBN 0-19-854634-3

[HBW-3] Firth, Clifford B. & Firth, Dawn W. 2009. Family Paradisaeidae (Birds-of-paradise). In del Hoyo, Josep; Elliott, Andrew; Christie, David. Handbook of the Birds of the World, volume 14, Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. pp. 487–488. ISBN 978-84-96553-50-7

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