Goldie's bird-of-paradise

Goldie's bird-of-paradise (Paradisaea decora) is a species of bird-of-paradise.

Goldie's bird-of-paradise
Illustration of male (above) and female (below)
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Paradisaeidae
Genus:	Paradisaea
Species:	P. decora
Binomial name
Paradisaea decora Salvin & Godman, 1883

Endemic to Papua New Guinea, the Goldie's bird-of-paradise is distributed in the hill forests of Fergusson and Normanby Island of the D'Entrecasteaux Archipelago, eastern Papuan Islands. The diet consists mainly of fruits.

The name commemorates the Scottish collector Andrew Goldie, who discovered the bird in 1882.

Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range and overhunting in some areas, the Goldie's bird-of-paradise is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.

Description

Goldie's bird-of-paradise is large, approximately 33 cm long, and olive-brown. The male has a yellow and dark green plumage with a lavender grey breast, yellow iris and grey colored bill, mouth and feet. It is adorned with large crimson ornamental flank plumes and two long tail wires. The male is distinguished from other Paradisaea species by its lavender grey breast plumage. Unadorned female has an olive-brown plumage with cinnamon-brown below.

External links

• BirdLife Species Factsheet
• Goldie's bird-of-paradise – Australian Museum