Bronze parotia

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Bronze parotia
Bronze Parotia (Parotia berlepschi) (cropped).jpg
The first illustration of the bronze parotia published in the Journal fur Ornithologie in 1897 to compare the new species to the Carola's parotia.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paradisaeidae
Genus: Parotia
Species:
P. berlepschi
Binomial name
Parotia berlepschi
Synonyms

Parotia carolae berlepschi

The bronze parotia (Parotia berlepschi), also known as the Foja parotia, Berlepsch's parotia or Berlepsch's six-wired bird-of-paradise, is a species of bird-of-paradise, in the family Paradisaeidae. It resembles and is often considered to be a subspecies of Carola's parotia, but a high majority of authorities support its specific status.

Contents

The species share many differentiated features (see Description), though the Carola's parotia is more studied than the elusive bronze parotia. The species was first described by Otto Kleinschmidt in 1897.

Etymology

The bronze parotia's scientific name is Parotia berlepschi. The genus name, Parotia is composed of par, meaning "near" and Ancient Greek ωτοςōtos for "ear", specifically meaning "curl of hair by the ear", referring to six head plumes on each side of the head, characteristic to males of the genus Parotia. Its specific name, berlepschi, honors Hans von Berlepsch, a German ornithologist (1850-1915). [2]

Description

Male Carola's parotia specimen for reference. Note the golden face of this species that is a major factor that sets it and the bronze parotia apart. Naturalis Biodiversity Center - RMNH.AVES.140822 1 - Parotia carolae carolae A.B. Meyer, 1894 - Paradisaeidae - bird skin specimen.jpeg
Male Carola's parotia specimen for reference. Note the golden face of this species that is a major factor that sets it and the bronze parotia apart.

Arguably one of the more drab members of its family, the male bronze parotia has a blackish body in general with a conspicuous oily bronze sheen, more greenish in the neck area, that gives the bird its common name. The differences in the facial and head area is much more differentiated from the sister species; the frontal crest of the bronze parotia is mostly black with only a more reduced portion of white tips towards the center of it rather than an extended area of white found in Carola's; the inner "bowl" of the frontal crest is greenish gold. There also is a very thin, orange stripe that ends in a circle that encircles the eyes. Another characteristic of the genus are the six head plumes, anatomically called occipital plumes, long, wire-like feathers with black, spatulate tips. His chin feathers are greyish to rusty brown, based by a dull gold. These "whiskers" lead to the Parotia-characteristic, iridescent breast plate composed of scale-like feathers, each with a black, dotted center, and shine pink, orange, green, blue, yellow, gold, violet and orange, depending on the light angle; however, the breast shield is typically inconspicuous in most views. Like other parotias, the male has elongated flank plumes on his sides used in their displays; additionally, found only in Carola's and this species, these flank feathers are black and white, the white standing out on the body. It has a short, black tail, which is shorter than Carola's. It has a relatively robust, more prominently hooked, grey-black bill, light blue-greyish eyes surrounded by an orange ring, and grey-black legs and feet. The female is drastically different from the female, being light brown above with reddish wings, light brown tail, and a brown and white head. She is creamy below, covered by brown-blackish barring. [3]

Behavior and ecology

Because of its inaccessibility, the ecology of the bronze parotia is very poorly described. Its diet may consist of fruits, arthropods, and possibly other animal prey. Its courtship behavior may be similar to Carola's parotia courtship behavior. According to bird-of-paradise expert Edwin Scholes, actions include court clearing, mat construction, horizontal perch pivot display, hop and shake display, and leaf presentation. Parotias, along with other ground-performing birds-of-paradise, like to keep a clean court, tossing leaves, twigs, moss, etc., as the stage will be judged by the observing female(s). The presentation of leaves is used as a "badge of ownership" to rid of prospecting males; this behavior is seen in Carola's parotia displays, to which one of the most complex courtship sequences in the avian realm belongs. The perch pivots include the flank feathers fluffed out to where they form a semi-circle around the body, as well as the head and tail cocked, all while abruptly jerking the body from side to side. Other courtship behaviors include flexing of the frontal crest, hopping, bowing, shaking of chin feathers, and raising of flank plumes. [3]

History

Many unknown Parotia specimens arose in Europe in the late 1800s and were owned by Berlepch. Unlike Carola's parotia, the specimens kept by Berlepsch had smaller bills with more of a prominent hooked tip, different plumage figures, and very slight size difference. The specimen was given its current scientific name to honor its owner in 1897. [4]

Rediscovery

Previously known only from four specimens, the home of this little known bird-of-paradise was located in 1985 by the American scientist Jared Diamond at the Foja Mountains of Papua, Indonesia. Diamond encountered only the female of this species. In December 2005, an international team of eleven scientists from the United States, Australia and Indonesia, led by ornithologist and Conservation International vice-president Bruce Beehler traveled to the unexplored areas of Foja Mountains and rediscovered the bronze parotia among other little known and new species. The first photographs of them were taken during the rediscovery. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bird-of-paradise</span> Family of birds of the order Passeriformes

The birds-of-paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes. The majority of species are found in eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Australia. The family has 45 species in 17 genera. The members of this family are perhaps best known for the plumage of the males of the species, the majority of which are sexually dimorphic. The males of these species tend to have very long, elaborate feathers extending from the beak, wings, tail, or head. For the most part, they are confined to dense rainforest habitats. The diet of all species is dominated by fruit and to a lesser extent arthropods. The birds-of-paradise have a variety of breeding systems, ranging from monogamy to lek-type polygamy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hans von Berlepsch</span> German ornithologist (1850–1915)

Count Hans Hermann Carl Ludwig von Berlepsch was a German ornithologist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Beehler</span>

Bruce M. Beehler is an ornithologist and research associate of the Bird Division of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History. Prior to this appointment, Beehler worked for Conservation International, the Wildlife Conservation Society, Counterpart International, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue bird-of-paradise</span> Species of bird

The blue bird-of-paradise is a beautiful, relatively large species of bird-of-paradise. It is the only species in the genus Paradisornis, but was previously included in the genus Paradisaea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King of Saxony bird-of-paradise</span> Species of bird

The King of Saxony bird-of-paradise is a bird in the bird-of-paradise family (Paradisaeidae). It is the only member of the genus Pteridophora. It is endemic to montane forest in New Guinea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black sicklebill</span> Species of bird

The black sicklebill is a large member of the birds of paradise family, Paradisaeidae. This species is found throughout most of central New Guinea and the Vogelkop region to the northwest in montane forests at altitudes from 1800 to 2150 m.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnificent bird-of-paradise</span> Species of bird

The magnificent bird-of-paradise is a species of bird-of-paradise. The magnificent bird-of-paradise is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. They are listed in Appendix II of CITES.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater lophorina</span> Species of bird

The greater lophorina, also known as superb bird-of-paradise or greater superb bird-of-paradise, is a species of the Paradisaeidae (bird-of-paradise) family. It was considered the sole species in the genus until in 2017 it was recognised that there were three species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carola's parotia</span> Species of bird

Carola's parotia, also known as Queen Carola's six-wired bird-of-paradise or Queen Carola's parotia, is a species of bird-of-paradise.

<i>Parotia</i> Genus of birds

The parotias are a genus, Parotia, of passerine birds in the bird-of-paradise family Paradisaeidae. They are endemic to New Guinea. They are also known as six-plumed birds of paradise, due to their six head quills. These birds were featured prominently in the BBC series Planet Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western parotia</span> Species of bird

The western or Arfak parotia is a medium-sized, approximately 33 cm long, bird-of-paradise with a medium-length tail.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huon astrapia</span> Species of bird

The Huon astrapia, also known as Rothschild's astrapia, Huon bird-of-paradise, or Lord Rothschild's bird-of-paradise, is a species of bird-of-paradise belonging to the genus Astrapia. Like most of its congeners, A. rothschildi is a rather elusive member of its genus and family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raggiana bird-of-paradise</span> Species of bird

The Raggiana bird-of-paradise, also known as Count Raggi's bird-of-paradise, is a large bird in the bird-of-paradise family Paradisaeidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wahnes's parotia</span> Species of bird

Wahnes's parotia is a medium-sized passerine of the bird-of-paradise family (Paradisaeidae). This species is distributed and endemic to the mountain forests of Huon Peninsula and Adelbert Mountains, northeast Papua New Guinea. The diet consists mainly of fruits and arthropods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise riflebird</span> Species of bird

The paradise riflebird is a passerine bird of the family Paradisaeidae. It is one of four riflebird species in the genus Ptiloris. It is found in subtropical, temperate rainforests in eastern Australia. The species is sexually dimorphic; the male is black with iridescent blue-green patches, while the female is gray-brown and white.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawes's parotia</span> Species of bird

Lawes's parotia, is a medium-sized passerine of the bird-of-paradise family, Paradisaeidae. It is distributed and endemic to mountain forests of southeast and eastern Papua New Guinea. Occasionally, the eastern parotia is considered a subspecies of P. lawesii. The species is similar to the western parotia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Growling riflebird</span> Species of bird

The growling riflebird, also known as the eastern riflebird, is a medium-sized passerine bird of the family Paradisaeidae.

Stresemann's bird-of-paradise is a bird in the family Paradisaeidae that is an intergeneric hybrid between a Queen Carola's parotia and greater lophorina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crescent-caped lophorina</span> Species of bird

The crescent-caped lophorina or Vogelkop superb bird-of-paradise, sometimes noted as the curl-caped bird-of-paradise, is a species of the Paradisaeidae (bird-of-paradise) family. It is endemic to the Bird's Head Peninsula in New Guinea. First described in 1930 by Ernst Mayr, it had been treated as a subspecies of the superb bird-of-paradise but was elevated to the status of a full species in 2017, and reinforced in 2018 based on its striking black plumage and behavioral differences, especially visible in the courting male.

References

  1. BirdLife International. 2017. Parotia berlepschi (amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T103728360A112748051. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T103728360A112748051.en. Downloaded on 13 December 2018.
  2. Schodde, Richard (July 2010). "Handbook of the Birds of the World, vol. 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows.— Josep del Hoyo , Andrew Elliott , and David Christie , Eds. 2009. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona, Spain. 893 pp., 51 color plates, 655 color photos, 484 distribution maps. ISBN 9788496553507. Cloth binding. $267.00". The Auk. 127 (3): 714–717. doi: 10.1525/auk.2010.127.3.714 . ISSN   0004-8038. S2CID   198155470.
  3. 1 2 Scholes, Edwin; Beehler, Bruce M.; Laman, Timothy G. (2017-10-10). "Taxonomic status of Parotia berlepschi Kleinschmidt, 1897 based on analysis of external appearance, voice and behavior (Aves: Paradisaeidae)". Zootaxa. 4329 (6): 560–573. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4329.6.2. ISSN   1175-5334. PMID   29242456.
  4. Attenborough, David; Fuller, Errol (2012). Drawn from Paradise: The Natural History, Art and Discovery of the Birds of Paradise with Rare Archival Art. London: Myles Archibald. pp. 888, 909. ISBN   9780007487622.
  5. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4688000.stm. Archived 2022-02-22 at the Wayback Machine