Species of Bird of Paradise kept in captivity

Thanks Jonathan,

There is not many photos of Lawe's Parotia around.

 

Yes the majority of the Pardadise birds remains common in the wild, especially the lowland species which can be seen in a large number of areas throughout the Island. I have seen 28 species of Bird of Paradise in the wild on New Guinea and West Papuan islands and some are very easy to find and see, while others are very difficult. You often hear them more than you see them.

Some species is however very rare, I have looked for Blue Bird of Paradise for 4-5 times in the past 20 years and have yet to see one, basically hunted out in most easily accesed areas and the "well known sites" is far from reaible. This species is certinely not common and is probably the second most endangered bird species on New Guinea.

I think most tour companies sees even more, 23-24 species on a tour should be normal if you spend 2-3 weeks here.

 

There does seem to be hope for the Greater BOP. Al Wabra Wildlife Park in Qatar has bred a total of 22 chicks since 2001.

Both the Aru P.a.apoda and the New Guinea P.a.novaeguineae subspecies are in breeding groups.

 

Lucky you! Maybe write us what you seen?

Apparently every birding tour visiting Tari sees it within 2-4 days. Tari has an airport and road connection to Mt. Hagen. And one group seen it in vicinity of Mt. Hagen, too. If you go there next time, let us know how it was

Other magical birds are paradise kingfishers (Tanisyptera). Beautiful, common in NG and almost unknown outside.

 

Hello Jurek,

Here is the complete of Bird of Paradise I have seen in the wild so far.

Moluccan Islands
Paradise Crow Lycocorax pyrrhopterus (on Halmahera, just calls on Obi unfortunely)
Wallace's Standardwing Semioptera wallacii (on Halmahera and Obi)

Australia
Paradise Riflebird Ptiloris paradiseus
Victoria's Riflebird Ptiloris victoriae
Magnificent Riflebird Ptiloris magnificus
Trumpet Manucode

New Guinea (West Papuan Islands Included)
Glossy-mantled Manucode Manucodia atra
Jobi Manucode, Manucodia jobiensis
Crinkle-collared Manucode Manucodia chalybata
Trumpet Manucode Manucodia keraudrenii
Long-tailed Paradigalla Paradigalla carunculata
Short-tailed Paradigalla Paradigalla brevicauda
Arfak Astrapia Astrapia nigra
Splendid Astrapia Astrapia splendidissima
Ribbon-tailed Astrapia Astrapia mayeri
Stephanie's Astrapia Astrapia stephaniae
Western Parotia Parotia sefilata
Carola's Parotia Parotia carolae
Lawes's Parotia Parotia lawesii
Eastern Parotia Parotia helenae
King of Saxony Bird of Paradise Pteridophora alberti
Superb Bird of Paradise Lophorina superba
King Bird of Paradise Cicinnurus regius
Magnificent Riflebird Ptiloris magnificus
Eastern Riflebird Ptiloris intercedens
Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise Seleucidis melanoleuca
Pale-billed Sicklebill Epimachus bruijnii
Brown Sicklebill Epimachus meyeri
Magnificent Bird of Paradise Cicinnurus magnificus
Wilson's Bird of Paradise Cicinnurus respublica
Red Bird of Paradise Paradisaea rubra
Raggiana Bird of Paradise Paradisaea raggiana
Lesser Bird of Paradise Paradisaea minor
Greater Bird of Paradise Paradisaea apoda

Going to PNG in 2008 again and hope to get the following then.

Wahnes's Parotia Parotia wahnesi
Huon Astrapia Astrapia rothschildi
Blue Bird of Paradise Paradisaea rudolphi
Emperor Bird of Paradise Paradisaea guilielmi

Well, I have been in Tari twice already (2002 and 2006) and dipped on the Blue on both occasions, despite spending several days here in 06, I sure heard them on several occasions but didnt see them except on one occasion, me and an american group there at the same time as me did get a very short glimps of an adult female. So far from everyone sees it here, maybe in the past but its getting more and more uncommon, despite it being a top spot for world birders, awfull lot of illegal hunting going on still. For many people poor views in mist or calls is enough, not for me, I want to see one for at least a few minutes as well as observe the display of the male. And just the road is the problem, the ares has become more accesible in the last 10 years and alot of birds has become more rare as a result, well I hope to finally get it in 2008 however, going to an area much farer east this time to try my luck, the southern boundary of Huon Peninsula were many undiscovered and some only recently discovered population still exist, and much easier to see, a German guy I spoke with in mid 2007 saw a total of 11 (including three males, two displaying) during a week stay.

 

Do you have any pictures of these species?

 

Thought it was about time for an update.

Greater Bird of Paradise Paradisaea apoda: Langkawi Bird Paradise, Malaysia. A single male. Got knowledge about this thanks to a member here on the forum.

I have also found out that Taronga Zoo has keept Raggina Bird of Paradise in the past, breed them in the mid 1970s at least.

 

Yes I do have photos of several of them, many already circulating at the net, will upload some here as well.

 

I have come quite far in this project but aim still working on it as much as I can, I have just got in contact with people holding the study books for red as well as Lesser Bird of Paradise, there should be one for Magnificent as well but I have not got any reply for the guy which is said to have it.

I have come over a very intresting record which has come as quite a chock to me.

Wilson Bird of Paradise has been kept in Berlin Tierpark, I have found a report of a displaying male in 1975, unfortunely the article dont reviel much more about the species in Berlin, I wish I knew more about their birds.

I didnt know that this species has been kept in Europe as recently as this. Anyone knows when Bergman brought this species to Europe?

http://www.publish.csiro.au/?act=view_file&file_id=MU9760090.pdf

Here is the complete article

 

Sebbe, I'm doing a project on Red BoP, and so if you find any information on this species, I'd love to see it.

Wilson's BoP live on two islands (Waigeo and Bantana) where the red BoP Lives, so any information, and pictures, about either species will be appreciated.

Are there any studies made of these birds in the wild?
Are there any pictures of Red BoP displaying?

 

Last years National Geographic had article about BoPs. There were two pics of dispalying Red BoP. I think pics are still online in "Galleries"

 

The Red Bird of Paradise has been studied pretty much in the past at least, both in the wild and captivity. Frith and Beehler (1998) described the display and mating of this species in excellent details, in fact these are the two parts they seems have put down most effort in studying.

Frith (1976, 1981) has studied and described the display performance of captive birds on many occasions and I would say that he is the world leading expert on this species. The status of this species in the wild is ironically the part that remains most poorly known it seems, there is several well known display sites on Batanta but illegal logging and hunting is unfortunely common practises on this Island, several display sites has already been lost and others are threatend.

Almost all observations of this species in the wild is at or close to displaying sites and the displaying performence is therefore well documented, I know of very few records made far away from display sites, to be honest hardly any at all. Many display sites are located in feeding trees. This means that they are unlikely to fly far in search for food, nesting sites etc.

http://nationalgeographic.abril.com.br/ng/imagem/ed88_aves01.jpg
http://nationalgeographic.abril.com.br/ng/imagem/ed88_aves11.jpg
These are the two most common display poses to my knowledge, at least in the wild. I dont have any display captures as good as this myself (yet).

Here is a few intresting articles for those intrested in reading further about the display performence of this species, unfortunely they are quite expensive.

Displays of the Red Bird-of-Paradise Paradisaea rubra and their significance, with a discussion on displays and systematics of other Paradisaeidae, by Frith (1976).

Displays of Count Raggi's Bird-of-Paradise Paradisaea raggiana and congeneric species, by Frith (1981).

The best reference to this group of birds is The Birds of Paradise: Paradisaeidae, by Frith and Beehler (1998).

This is THE bible for all those which have a interest in this group of birds, I would dare to say that its one of the best bird books published in the last 10 years. The artwork in the book is really something, amazing to say the least. There is also a few photos in the book of which most is taken by Frith. The majority part of the book is text, were they describe all subspecies in detail as well as display, mating, nesting, diet, threatend status as well as status in aviculture.

There is a few things with the book that could be improved, with some species they only illustrate the nominate race when in fact the species show a big variation, with many distinctive subspecies, such as the Parotias, Manucodes and Riflebirds. The only illustration in the book that I can complain about is the one of the male Emperor, there is a beutiful photo of a male in the book however. Its also decent priced and given the fact its out of print its still easy to obtain a copy of it, highly reccomended.

The book is a bit oudated (10 years old) but several new books covering this group is in preperation and these should be out within the next 1-2 years, hopefully with a updated edition of Friths and Beehlers book with alot of improvements to a already excellent work.

 

Here is an updated list.


Bird of Paradise currently in captivity

Glossy-Mantled Manucode Manucodia atra: San Diego Zoo (nominate subspecies)

Crinkle-collared Manucode Manucodia chalybatus: The Rainforest Habitat

Trumpet Manucode Manucodia keraudrenii: Berlin Zoological garden, National Capital Botanical Gardens (Port Moresby), The Rainforest Habitat (mayri subspecies)

Stephanie’s Astrapia Astrapia stephaniae: The Rainforest Habitat

Lawe’s Parotia Parotia lawesii: The Rainforest Habitat (nominate subspecies)

Magnificent Riflebird Ptiloris magnificus: Walsrode, Jurong, Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Surabaya zoo, The Rainforest habitat

Paradise Riflebird Ptiloris paradiseus: Taronga Zoo

Superb Bird of Paradise Lophorina superba: Honolulu Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park, San Diego Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Houston Zoo, The Rainforest Habitat (connectens subspecies)

Magnificent Bird of Paradise Cicinnurus magnificus: The Rainforest Habitat (hunsteini subspecies), San Diego Zoo (hunsteini subspecies), San Diego Wild Animal Park, Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (chrysopterus subspecies), Honolulu Zoo (hunsteini subspecies), Jurong

Wilson’s Bird of Paradise Cicinnurus respublica: Jurong

King Bird of Paradise Cicinnurus regius: Walsrode, Zoo Wuppertal, Jurong, Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (keeping nominate race), The Rainforest Habitat

Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise Seleucidis melanoleuca: Walrsrode, Jurong, Bronx Zoo, Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation

Lesser Bird of Paradise Paradisaea minor: Fort Worth Zoological Park, Bronx Zoo, San Antonio Zoological Gardens & Aqua, Columbus Zoo, Toledo Zoological Gardens, Walsrode, Jurong, , Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Melaka zoo, Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (keeping nominate), Everland zoo (South Korea), Bali birdpark, Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Johor Zoo, Ragunan Zoo, private zoo in Sarawak

Greater Bird of Paradise Paradisaea apoda: Jurong, Walsrode, Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (nominate and novaguinea subspecies), Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Langkawi Bird Paradise

Raggiana Bird of Paradise Paradisaea raggiana: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Honolulu Zoo (augustaevictoriae), Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo, Miami Metro zoo (augustaevictoriae), Smithsonian National Zoological Park (augustaevictoriae), San Diego Zoo (augustaevictoriae), Woodland Park Zoological Gardens, Ueno Zoological Gardens, Surabaya zoo, The Rainforest Habitat Lae, National Capital Botanical Gardens (Port Moresby)

Red Bird of Paradise Paradisaea rubra: Central Park Zoo, Brookfield Zoo (Chicago Zoological Park), Houston Zoo, San Antonio Zoological Gardens & Aqua, Jurong Bird Park, Chester Zoo, Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation, Melaka zoo, Kuala Lumpur Bird Park

Emperor Bird of Paradise Paradisaea guilielmi: The Rainforest Habitat

Blue Bird of Paradise Paradisaea rudolphi: The Rainforest Habitat (the nominate race)

 

Hi Sebbe,
I don't read in your list the Red Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea Rubra) in Taipei Zoo (Taiwan). It was my first and, at the moment, last viewing of a bird of paradise in captivity.

 

Didn't see these on your list:
At San Diego Wild Animal Park, the subspecies of Lesser BOP is Paradisaea minor finschi. They are also kept at Houston Zoo.
Salvadori's BOP Paradisaea raggiana salvadorii is at San Diego Zoo.

 

Keeping them is great, but has anywhere bred Birds of Paradise recently?
Zoos need to breed them, because, while there is only moderate pressure on wild populations at present, the situation will deteriorate.