Barnes' Astrapia, also known as Barnes' Long-tailed Bird of Paradise or Barnes's Long-tail, is a bird in the family Paradisaeidae and the genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 Astrapia

Astrapia

The astrapias are a genus, Astrapia, of birds of paradise, with of five species.They are endemic to New Guinea. The males have highly iridescent plumage and remarkably long tails...

 that is a likely hybrid between a Stephanie's Astrapia

Stephanie's Astrapia

Princess Stephanie's Astrapia, Astrapia stephaniae, also known as Stephanie's Astrapia, is a medium-sized, approximately 37 cm long, black bird of paradise with an iridescent blue-green and purple head, silky plumage below and two very long, broad purplish-black central tail feathers...

 (Astrapia stephaniae) and Ribbon-tailed Astrapia

Ribbon-tailed Astrapia

The Ribbon-tailed Astrapia also known as Shaw Mayer's Astrapia, Astrapia mayeri is a medium-sized, up to 32 cm long , velvet black bird of paradise...

 (Astrapia mayeri).

Description

Barnes' Astrapia is similar in appearance to both parent species, though closer to a Ribbon-tailed Astrapia. Males have two very long white and black tail feathers, glossy blue head and neck, small beak and a black body. Females have fewer blue feathers on their head as well as shorter tails.

History

Until 1930, Barnes' Astrapia (and all the other hybrid birds of paradise) were thought to be species and were named as such. Barnes' Astrapia was classified as Astrarchia barnesi Iredale

Tom Iredale

Tom Iredale was an English-born ornithologist and malacologist who had a long association with Australia, where he lived for most of his life. He was an autodidact who never went to university and lacked formal training...

, 1948.

Distribution

Barnes' Astrapia lives in the montane

Montane

In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...

 forest of Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...

, where the ranges of the parent species overlap on a small part of the Hagen Range

Mount Hagen (volcano)

Mount Hagen , named after the German colonial officer Curt von Hagen, is the second highest volcano in Papua New Guinea and on the Australian continent, ranking behind only its neighbour Mount Giluwe which is roughly to the southwest...

 and Mount Giluwe

Mount Giluwe

Mount Giluwe is the second highest mountain in Papua New Guinea at . It is located in the Southern Highlands province and is an old shield volcano with vast alpine grasslands. Ancient volcanic plugs form its two summits, with the central peak the highest and an east peak about away at...

, usually at 2,400 - 2,600 m asl

Above mean sea level

The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...

.