Bensbach's bird-of-paradise

Bensbach's bird-of-paradise, also known as Bensbach's riflebird, is a bird in the family Paradisaeidae that is often now considered an intergeneric hybrid between a magnificent riflebird and lesser bird-of-paradise. However, some authors, such as Errol Fuller, believe that it was a distinct and possibly extinct species.

Bensbach's bird-of-paradise
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Superfamily:	Corvoidea
Family:	Paradisaeidae
Hybrid:	Ptiloris magnificus × Paradisaea minor
Synonyms
Janthothorax bensbachi Büttikofer, 1894

History

Only one adult male specimen is known of this bird, held in the Netherlands Natural History Museum and coming from the Arfak Mountains of north-western New Guinea. It is named after Jacob Bensbach, Dutch Resident at Ternate, who presented the specimen to the museum.

References

• Frith, Clifford B. & Beehler, Bruce M. (1998). The Birds of Paradise. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-854853-9.
• Iredale, Tom (1950). Birds of Paradise and Bower Birds. Melbourne: Georgian House.