Raggiana Bird of Paradise
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[Photo] Description: Raggiana Bird of Paradise - Location: AMNH, New York - Author: User:Stavenn http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Stavenn

The Raggiana Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea raggiana also known as Count Raggi's Bird of Paradise is a large, up to 34cm long, maroon brown bird of paradise with greyish blue bill, yellow iris and greyish brown feet. The male has a yellow crown, dark emerald green throat and yellow collar between the throat and its blackish upper breast feathers. It is adorned with a pair of long black tail wires and large flank plumes on side of breast. In contrast with generally plain, unadorned maroon brown female.

The ornamental flank plumes are varying from red to orange in color, depending on subspecies. The nominate subspecies, P. r. raggiana has the most crimson plumes, while subspecies P. r. augustavictoriae also known as the Empress of Germany's Bird of Paradise of northeast New Guinea has apricot orange plumes.

The male is polygamous. The female usually lays up to two pinkish buff eggs. The diet consists mainly of fruits and arthropods.

As requested by Count Luigi Maria D'Albertis, the name commemorates the Marquis Francis Raggi of Genoa.

The Raggiana Bird of Paradise is the national bird of Papua New Guinea.

Widespread and common throughout the tropical forests of eastern New Guinea, the Raggiana Bird of Paradise is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raggiana_Bird_of_Paradise

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