Emperor Bird of Paradise
Encyclopedia
The Emperor Bird-of-paradise, Paradisaea guilielmi, also known as Emperor of Germany's Bird-of-paradise is a large, approximately 33 cm long, yellow and brown bird-of-paradise with a reddish-brown iris
, bluish-grey bill
and purplish-brown legs. The male has an extensive dark emerald green face and throat, two very long tail wires and large white ornamental flank plumes. The female is almost similar to the male, but has an all brown plumage, smaller in size and has no ornamental plumes.
The Emperor Bird-of-paradise is endemic
to Papua New Guinea
. It is distributed in hill forests of the Huon Peninsula
. The diet consists mainly of fruits, fig
s and arthropods.
The name commemorates the last German Emperor and King of Prussia
, Wilhelm II of Germany. On January 1888, the Emperor Bird-of-paradise was the last bird-of-paradise discovered by Carl Hunstein
, who also found the Blue Bird-of-paradise
on his journeys. These two species are the only Paradisaea
that perform inverted display.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range and overhunting in some areas, the Emperor Bird-of-paradise is evaluated as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List
of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.
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...
, bluish-grey bill
Beak
The beak, bill or rostrum is an external anatomical structure of birds which is used for eating and for grooming, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, courtship and feeding young...
and purplish-brown legs. The male has an extensive dark emerald green face and throat, two very long tail wires and large white ornamental flank plumes. The female is almost similar to the male, but has an all brown plumage, smaller in size and has no ornamental plumes.
The Emperor Bird-of-paradise is endemic
Endemism in birds
An endemic bird area is a region of the world that contains two or more restricted-range species, while a "secondary area" contains one or more restricted-range species. Both terms were devised by Birdlife International....
to 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...
. It is distributed in hill forests of the Huon Peninsula
Huon Peninsula
Huon Peninsula is a large rugged peninsula on the island of New Guinea in Morobe Province, eastern Papua New Guinea. It is named after French explorer Jean-Michel Huon de Kermadec who discovered it along with his personal assistant and porter, Henry Ole. The peninsula is dominated by the steep...
. The diet consists mainly of fruits, fig
Ficus
Ficus is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes, and hemiepiphyte in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending into the semi-warm temperate zone. The Common Fig Ficus is a genus of...
s and arthropods.
The name commemorates the last German Emperor and King of Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
, Wilhelm II of Germany. On January 1888, the Emperor Bird-of-paradise was the last bird-of-paradise discovered by Carl Hunstein
Carl Hunstein
Carl Hunstein was a German administrator, ornithologist and plant collector.Hunstein was born in Homberg/Efze, Germany...
, who also found the Blue Bird-of-paradise
Blue Bird-of-paradise
The Blue Bird-of-paradise, , is a medium-sized bird-of-paradise.Regarded by some ornithologists as the loveliest of all birds, the Blue Bird-of-paradise was discovered by Carl Hunstein in 1884...
on his journeys. These two species are the only Paradisaea
Paradisaea
The genus Paradisaea consists of seven species of birds-of-paradise . The genus is found on the island of New Guinea as well as the nearby islands groups of the Aru Islands, D'Entrecasteaux Islands and West Papua Islands. The species inhabit a range of forest types from sea level to mid-montane...
that perform inverted display.
Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range and overhunting in some areas, the Emperor Bird-of-paradise is evaluated as Near Threatened 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.