Have you heard of Wilson’s Bird of Paradise?
This is a very colorful bird – males have a color combo of red, black, green, blue, yellow, and purple. Females, meanwhile, have muted coloring in comparison.1 They’re considered to be more colorful than other birds in the family.2 Click here to see some real photos of them.
These birds can be found in tropical forests on the islands of Batanta and Waigeo, which are off the coast of West Papua.1&3 They can live anywhere between 5 and 30 years old, and weigh around 2 ounces.3
Wilson’s Bird of Paradise has an interesting controversy attached to its name. It was given the name Cicinnurus respublica by Napoleon’s nephew. The controversy stems from the use of the term respublica in the name because it was traditional to dedicate new species to members of the monarchy at the time.1
They are not migratory birds and they can be found up to 300 meters up. They are omnivorous, and their diet tends to consist of fruit and insects. They have two mating seasons, one around May to June, and the other during October. Males will show off for females. When they mate, females will be the ones that create the nest and incubate the eggs.3
Overall, these birds of paradise are considered to be near threatened – mostly due to habitat loss.
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