Greater lophorina

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Greater lophorina
Lophorina superba male.jpg
Male greater lophorina
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Paradisaeidae
Genus: Lophorina
Species:
L. superba
Binomial name
Lophorina superba
(Pennant, 1781)
Synonyms
  • Paradisea superba Pennant, 1781

The greater lophorina (Lophorina superba), 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 (L. superba, Lophorina minor , and Lophorina niedda ). [2]

Contents

Description

It is a small, approximately 26 cm long, (passerine) bird. The male is black with an iridescent green crown, blue-green breast cover, and a long velvety black erectile cape covering his back. The female is a reddish-brown bird with brownish-barred buff below. The young is similar to the female. The greater lophorina is a dimorphic species. [3]

Courtship display

The species has an unusually low population of females, and competition among males for mates is intensely fierce. This has led the species to have one of the most elaborate courtship displays in the avian world. There are two main stages of courtship display. The first display, known as the initial display activity, involves a series of relatively simple behaviours. The initial display is then followed by a more elaborate courtship show, known as the high-intensity display. [4] After carefully and meticulously preparing a "dance floor" (even scrubbing the dirt or branch smooth with leaves), the male first attracts a female with a loud call. After the curious female approaches, his folded black feather cape and blue-green chest feathers shield spring upward and spread widely and symmetrically around his head, instantly transforming the frontal view of the male bird into a spectacular ellipse-shaped creature that rhythmically snaps his tail feathers against each other, similar to how snapping fingers work, while hopping in frantic circles around the female. The average female rejects 15-20 potential suitors before consenting to mate. The show that males put on to attract females can be a long process that takes up many hours in a day. [5] These species are polygynous and usually will mate with more than one female. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The greater lophorina is distributed throughout the rainforests of New Guinea. It inhabits most commonly in rain forests or forest edges of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. [6] They can also be found inhabiting mountainous habitats of the forests in New Guinea.

The greater lophorina is also usually found on top of the trees that reside in the rain forests. [7]

Feeding habits

The greater lophorina travels across the trees in the forest to catch its prey, which can vary depending on seasonal availability of food. [6] The greater lophorina has not only been known to eat fruits and insects, but also has been spotted preying on larger animals such as frogs, reptiles, and other small birds. [7] They can sometimes be seen foraging for food on the grounds of the forest for insects. Male Superba are considered to be territorial, as they defend land as small as 1.2 ha. Within that land, they forage for fruits and insects. [8] [9]

Predators

Known predators of the superb bird-of-paradise include birds of prey and snakes. [7]

Reproduction and chick behavior

The greater lophorina forms their nest on top of trees using soft material that they find around the forest such as leaves. When reproducing, they usually produce from 1-3 eggs within a nest. It takes about 16–22 days for the eggs to hatch and for the chicks to be born. After that, chicks will be able to live on their own within 16–30 days, leaving their nest and becoming independent. [9] Male superb birds-of-paradise tend to take about two years longer for them to mature compared to the females. Also, it will take about 4–7 years for males to develop their feathers for their courtship displays. [7]

Status

Although heavily hunted for its plumes, the greater lophorina is one of the most common and widespread birds of paradise in the forests of New Guinea, and is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [1] It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.

Subspecies

The crescent-caped lophorina was considered to be a subspecies (L. s. niedda) until 2017, as was lesser lophorina (L. s. minor), [2] though minor is sometimes disputed as a full species.[ citation needed ] This 2017 reclassification is disputed, however; the subspecies L. niedda inopinata comprises the taxon that was known as L. superba superba until 2017, but given a new name, and the subspecies known as L. superba feminina until 2017 was renamed as L. superba superba, [2] while other taxonomists argue that regardless of the evidence, names should not be reassigned from one recognized taxon to another after over 200 years of consistent application. [10]

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">Wilson's bird-of-paradise</span> Species of bird

Wilson's bird-of-paradise is a species of passerine bird of the family Paradisaeidae.

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

The bronze parotia, 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.

<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.

<i>Lophorina</i> Genus of birds

Lophorina is a genus of birds in the birds-of-paradise family Paradisaeidae that are endemic to New Guinea, formerly containing a single species, but as of 2017, containing three species.

<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">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.

The eastern parotia, also known as Helena's parotia, is a medium-sized passerine of the bird-of-paradise family, Paradisaeidae, endemic to mountain forests of the Bird's Tail Peninsula. It is approximately 27 cm long.

<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">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">Magnificent riflebird</span> Species of bird

The magnificent riflebird is a species of passerine bird in the birds-of-paradise family Paradisaeidae.

<i>Ptiloris</i> Genus of birds

The genus Ptiloris consists of four allopatric species of birds in the family Paradisaeidae. These birds of paradise are commonly known as riflebirds, so named for the likeness of their black velvety plumage to the uniform of the Rifle Brigade. Alternatively, the bird's cry is similar to a rifle being fired and hitting its target but a call like this is not commonly reported. They are distributed in the rainforests of New Guinea and Eastern Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duivenbode's six-wired bird-of-paradise</span> Hybrid bird

Duivenbode's six-wired bird-of-paradise, also known as Duivenbode's six-plumed bird-of-paradise, is a bird in the family Paradisaeidae that is an intergeneric hybrid between a western parotia and greater lophorina. The common name commemorates Maarten Dirk van Renesse van Duivenbode (1804–1878), Dutch trader of naturalia on Ternate.

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. 1 2 BirdLife International (2020). "Lophorina superba". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T181524349A182248687. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T181524349A182248687.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Irestedt, Martin; Batalha-Filho, Henrique; Ericson, Per G. P.; Christidis, Les; Schodde, Richard (2017). "Phylogeny, biogeography and taxonomic consequences in a bird-of-paradise species complex, Lophorina–Ptiloris (Aves: Paradisaeidae)". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 181 (2): 439–470. doi:10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx004.
  3. 1 2 3 Coyne A., Jerry; Kay H., Emily; Pruett-Jones, Steven (August 2007). "The Genetic Basis of Sexual Dimorphism of Birds". Evolution. 62 (1): 214–219. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2007.00254.x . PMID   18005159. S2CID   11490688.
  4. ↑ Peer Review #2 of "Distinctive courtship phenotype of the Vogelkop Superb Bird-of-Paradise Lophorina niedda Mayr, 1930 confirms new species status (v0.1)" (Thesis). 2018-04-16. doi: 10.7287/peerj.4621v0.1/reviews/2 .
  5. ↑ "Birds of Paradise | National Geographic". 2010-04-11. Archived from the original on May 4, 2017. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  6. 1 2 "Superb bird-of-paradise videos, photos and facts - Lophorina superba". Arkive. Archived from the original on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Bird of Paradise | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants". animals.sandiegozoo.org. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  8. ↑ D.W. Frith & C.B. Frith (1988) Courtship display and mating of the Superb Bird of Paradise Lophorina superba. Emu - Austral Ornithology, 88:3, 183-188, DOI: 10.1071/MU9880183
  9. 1 2 "Bird of Paradise". Animals. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
  10. ↑ Elliott A, Collar NJ, Bruce MD, Kirwan GM (2020) The nomenclature of Lophorina (Aves: PARADISAEIDAE), with remarks on the type and type locality of L. superba. Zootaxa 4732 (1): 57‒78.

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