Birds of Paradise-the unique and impressive family of birds by Rosy Vohra

Birds of paradise constitute a wide-ranging variety of beautiful and mesmerizing birds and belong to the family Paradisaeidae and order Passeriformes. These are perhaps evolved and much glorified corves or crows. Most distinctive amongst these belong to the genus Cicinnurus, Seleucidis, Lophorina and Paradisaea. Birds of paradise thrived in Torres Strait Islands, Papua New Guinea, western Indonesia and eastern Australia, places which had plentiful food and were devoid of any predatory mammals. The birds are distinctive in that male members are adorned with an elaborate, stretched out and strikingly multicolored feathers emerging out from its equally colorful and different sized beaks, head and wings. Its grandeur and splendor is magnified by a captivating plumage and an outstanding appearance.

The birds were brought to Europe as part of the trading expeditions. In order to sell them as decorative items in Europe at high prices, the native traders clipped their wings and removed their feet. These exotic birds were thought to be living above ground and living on the nectar of the paradise and hence the name paradise birds. The graceful plumes of these enchanting birds are often used in dresses and ceremonies by the tribal population of New Guinea. Owing to destruction of forests and their killing for begetting plumage for ornamental intentions, these endangered birds are dwindling and have been granted legal protection.

These birds are also exclusive with their remarkable courtship rituals. Most interesting and worth mentioning is the lek style. It is the thrilling demonstration by Paradisaea during the breeding season to attract the attention of the females. Grounds are cleared and meticulously tended in the forest floor where spectacular mating 'dances', out of the world upside-down poses, inverted hangings, loud vocal competition, varied whistling sounds, fashionable plumage put on show are performed to serve the purpose. In this style of courtship, there is a strict rule of hierarchy. The dominant and the most gorgeously adorned males occupy the central territory considered prestigious which descends gradually towards the periphery of the encirclement. During the mating season, the female come in these rings and make their ways through towards the centre to mate the gaudiest male. The female lays few eggs; some of them have known to lay 1 egg also. The new born are tended and raised by the females. The female alone builds her nest which is at the ground level, or on moss coated rocks; over trees branches or in its dense foliage.