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Birds-of-paradise

Birds-of-paradise range from relatively crow-like forms to species with extraordinary male plumes, wires and tail ornaments. Plumage can be iridescent, velvety dark or richly coloured, while females of many species are comparatively subdued. Examples include Halmahera Paradise-crow (Lycocorax pyrrhopterus), Glossy-mantled Manucode (Manucodia ater), and Trumpet Manucode (Phonygammus keraudrenii). Fruit and invertebrates contribute to their diets. Courtship displays involve characteristic postures, movements and calls, but display systems differ across the family. Manucodes and the Paradise-crow illustrate that not every member resembles the familiar ornamental plume birds, and not every male-female contrast is equally pronounced.

How to recognize Birds-of-paradise

  • Bill: varied stout or elongated bills.
  • Outline: diverse bodies with often elaborate male ornaments.
  • Feeding: taking fruit and invertebrates in tropical forest.

Where they live

New Guinea is the centre of diversity, with other members in nearby islands and northeastern Australia. Lowland rainforest, mountain forest and higher-elevation woodland support different species, often replacing one another with altitude. Fruiting trees and suitable display sites shape local activity. Island and elevation are therefore useful starting points for a range assessment, particularly where visually similar females occur in forest containing several birds-of-paradise with very different displaying males.

Species accounts: Halmahera Paradise-crow · Glossy-mantled Manucode · Trumpet Manucode

Sources — natural history: Wikipedia: Birds-of-paradise natural history · Cornell Birds of the World: Halmahera Paradise-crow species account · Don Roberson: Birds-of-paradise field observations and natural history.

Classification: IOC World Bird List: family names and classification.

Some Cornell Birds of the World account sections require a subscription.

Updated 2026-11-06. Species counts follow this site's catalogue. This is an editorial summary, not an expert peer review.

Explore similarities in appearance, feeding and habitat. These comparisons do not necessarily indicate the closest evolutionary relatives.

Species records retain their original English, Chinese and scientific names.

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Halmahera Paradise-crowHalmahera Paradise-crowLycocorax pyrrhopterusObi Paradise-crowObi Paradise-crowLycocorax obiensisGlossy-mantled ManucodeGlossy-mantled ManucodeManucodia aterTagula ManucodeTagula ManucodeManucodia alterJobi ManucodeJobi ManucodeManucodia jobiensisCrinkle-collared ManucodeCrinkle-collared ManucodeManucodia chalybatusCurl-crested ManucodeCurl-crested ManucodeManucodia comriiTrumpet ManucodeTrumpet ManucodePhonygammus keraudreniiLong-tailed ParadigallaLong-tailed ParadigallaParadigalla carunculataShort-tailed ParadigallaShort-tailed ParadigallaParadigalla brevicaudaArfak AstrapiaArfak AstrapiaAstrapia nigraSplendid AstrapiaSplendid AstrapiaAstrapia splendidissimaRibbon-tailed AstrapiaRibbon-tailed AstrapiaAstrapia mayeriPrincess Stephanie's AstrapiaPrincess Stephanie's AstrapiaAstrapia stephaniaeHuon AstrapiaHuon AstrapiaAstrapia rothschildiWestern ParotiaWestern ParotiaParotia sefilataQueen Carola's ParotiaQueen Carola's ParotiaParotia carolaeBronze ParotiaBronze ParotiaParotia berlepschiLawes's ParotiaLawes's ParotiaParotia lawesiiEastern ParotiaEastern ParotiaParotia helenaeWahnes's ParotiaWahnes's ParotiaParotia wahnesiKing of Saxony Bird-of-paradiseKing of Saxony Bird-of-paradisePteridophora albertiVogelkop LophorinaVogelkop LophorinaLophorina superbaGreater LophorinaGreater LophorinaLophorina latipennisLesser LophorinaLesser LophorinaLophorina minorParadise RiflebirdParadise RiflebirdPtiloris paradiseusVictoria's RiflebirdVictoria's RiflebirdPtiloris victoriaeMagnificent RiflebirdMagnificent RiflebirdPtiloris magnificusGrowling RiflebirdGrowling RiflebirdPtiloris intercedensBlack SicklebillBlack SicklebillEpimachus fastosusBrown SicklebillBrown SicklebillEpimachus meyeriBlack-billed SicklebillBlack-billed SicklebillDrepanornis albertisiPale-billed SicklebillPale-billed SicklebillDrepanornis bruijniiMagnificent Bird-of-paradiseMagnificent Bird-of-paradiseDiphyllodes magnificusWilson's Bird-of-paradiseWilson's Bird-of-paradiseDiphyllodes respublicaKing Bird-of-paradiseKing Bird-of-paradiseCicinnurus regiusStandardwingStandardwingSemioptera wallaciiTwelve-wired Bird-of-paradiseTwelve-wired Bird-of-paradiseSeleucidis melanoleucusGreater Bird-of-paradiseGreater Bird-of-paradiseParadisaea apodaRaggiana Bird-of-paradiseRaggiana Bird-of-paradiseParadisaea raggianaLesser Bird-of-paradiseLesser Bird-of-paradiseParadisaea minorGoldie's Bird-of-paradiseGoldie's Bird-of-paradiseParadisaea decoraRed Bird-of-paradiseRed Bird-of-paradiseParadisaea rubraEmperor Bird-of-paradiseEmperor Bird-of-paradiseParadisaea guilielmiBlue Bird-of-paradiseBlue Bird-of-paradiseParadisornis rudolphi