Western Parotia
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[Photo] Parotia sefilata. Source http://www.oiseaux.net/photos/bowdler.sharpe/ Author Richard Bowdler Sharpe

The Western Parotia, Parotia sefilata is a medium-sized, approximately 33cm long, bird of paradise with a medium-length tail. The male has a black plumage with an iridescent golden-green breast shield and triangular silver feathers on its crown. It is adorned with an elongated black plumes at sides of breast and three erectile spatule head wires behind each eye. As with most member in the family, the female is unadorned and has brown plumage.

Endemic to Indonesia, the Western Parotia is found only in the mountain forests of Vogelkop and Wandammen Peninsula of Western New Guinea. The diet consists mainly of fruits and figs.

In courtship display, the male performs ballerina-like dance with its elongated black plumes spread around skirt-like, right below the iridescence breast shield. During the spectacular dance, he shakes his head and neck rapidly to show the brilliance of its inverted silver triangle-shaped head adornment to attending females.

Widespread and common species throughout its range, the Western Parotia 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/Western_Parotia

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