Black Sicklebill
Encyclopedia
The Black Sicklebill, Epimachus fastuosus, is a large bird of paradise of midmountain forests of New Guinea
. The male has black plumage with an iridescent green, blue and purple scale-like feathers, red iris
, bright yellow mouth, long curved black bill, huge sabre
-shaped tail and large erectile fan-like plumes on sides of breast. The female is smaller than the male. It has a reddish brown plumage with brown iris and buff below.
With up to 110 cm in length, the male Black Sicklebill is the longest member of Paradisaeidae, though the Curl-crested Manucode
has a larger body. The diet consists mainly of fruits and arthropods. The male is polygamous and performs a horizontal courtship display with the pectoral
plumes raised around its head.
In the wild, the bird has hybridised with the Arfak Astrapia
creating offspring that were once considered a distinct species, the "Elliot's Sicklebill", "Epimachus ellioti". While some believe this was a valid species that is possibly critically endangered or extinct, it is generally viewed by most mainstream ornithologists as a hybrid.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size and hunted in some areas for food and its tail feathers, the Black Sicklebill is classified as Vulnerable
on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. The male has black plumage with an iridescent green, blue and purple scale-like feathers, red iris
Iris (anatomy)
The iris is a thin, circular structure in the eye, responsible for controlling the diameter and size of the pupils and thus the amount of light reaching the retina. "Eye color" is the color of the iris, which can be green, blue, or brown. In some cases it can be hazel , grey, violet, or even pink...
, bright yellow mouth, long curved black bill, huge sabre
Sabre
The sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
-shaped tail and large erectile fan-like plumes on sides of breast. The female is smaller than the male. It has a reddish brown plumage with brown iris and buff below.
With up to 110 cm in length, the male Black Sicklebill is the longest member of Paradisaeidae, though the Curl-crested Manucode
Curl-crested Manucode
The Curl-crested Manucode, Manucodia comrii, is a compact and large, approximately 43 cm long, bird-of-paradise with glossy purple, black and green plumage, red iris and crinkled yellowish-green upper breast and neck feathers. It has curled head feathering and twisted central tail feathers....
has a larger body. The diet consists mainly of fruits and arthropods. The male is polygamous and performs a horizontal courtship display with the pectoral
Pectoral
Pectoral may refer to:* Pectoral cross, a cross worn on the chest* a decorative, usually jeweled version of a gorget* Pectoral , often iconographic with hieroglyphs* Pectoralis major muscle, commonly referred to as "pectorals" or "pecs"...
plumes raised around its head.
In the wild, the bird has hybridised with the Arfak Astrapia
Arfak Astrapia
The Arfak Astrapia, Astrapia nigra is a large, approximately 76 cm long, black bird of paradise with an iridescent purple, green and bronze plumage. The male has a very long broad tail, velvety black breast feathers and extremely complex head plumage...
creating offspring that were once considered a distinct species, the "Elliot's Sicklebill", "Epimachus ellioti". While some believe this was a valid species that is possibly critically endangered or extinct, it is generally viewed by most mainstream ornithologists as a hybrid.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, small population size and hunted in some areas for food and its tail feathers, the Black Sicklebill is classified as Vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
on the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.