Emperor Bird of Paradise

Taxobox
name = Emperor Bird of Paradise
status = NT | status_system = IUCN3.1


image_width = 225px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Passeriformes
familia = Paradisaeidae
genus = "Paradisaea"
species = "P. guilielmi"
binomial = "Paradisaea guilielmi"
binomial_authority = Cabanis, 1888The Emperor Bird of Paradise, "Paradisaea guilielmi" also known as Emperor of Germany's Bird of Paradise is a large, approximately 33cm long, yellow and brown bird of paradise with a reddish-brown iris, bluish-grey bill and purplish-brown legs. The male has an extensive dark emerald green face and throat, two very long tail wires and large white ornamental flank plumes. The female is almost similar to the male, but has an all brown plumage, smaller in size and has no ornamental plumes.

The Emperor Bird of Paradise is endemic to Papua New Guinea. It is distributed in hill forests of the Huon Peninsula. The diet consists mainly of fruits, figs and arthropods.

The name commemorates the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, Wilhelm II of Germany. On January 1888, the Emperor Bird of Paradise was the last bird of paradise discovered by Carl Hunstein, who also found the Blue Bird of Paradise on his journeys. These two species are the only "Paradisaea" that perform inverted display.

Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range and overhunting in some areas, the Emperor Bird of Paradise is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.

References

* Database entry includes a brief justification of why this species is near threatened

External links

* [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=5845&m=0 BirdLife Species Factsheet]
* [http://www.redlist.org/search/details.php?species=16077 IUCN Red List]