Paradisaeidae - Birds of Paradise, Sicklebills, Riflebirds, Parotias

They are small to medium birds. They have slender to thick, slightly hooked bills; small, rounded wings; and short legs.

Males are brightly colored and many have long, elaborate tails with streaming feathers. Many males also have streaming feathers on their wings and heads. The elaborate feathers on the male are used to attract females during the breeding season.

Females are usually brown to gray in color. They are found in forests and eat fruit, insects, small animals, and seeds.

Paradisaeidae Photo Gallery

World Status Key
Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in Wild Extinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.

US Status Key
Threatened in US Threatened in NH Endangered in US Endangered in NH Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game

Other Species Around the World
Africa Asia Australia/Oceania Europe North America South America NH
Ribbon-tailed Astrapia - Astrapia mayeri   Arfak Astrapia - Astrapia nigra   Huon Astrapia - Astrapia rothschildi   Splendid Astrapia - Astrapia splendidissima Stephanie's Astrapia - Astrapia stephaniae Magnificent Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus magnificus King Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus regius Wilson's Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus respublica Black-billed Sicklebill - Epimachus albertisi Pale-billed Sicklebill - Epimachus bruijnii Black Sicklebill - Epimachus fastuosus Brown Sicklebill - Epimachus meyeri Superb Bird-of-paradise - Lophorina superba Paradise-crow - Lycocorax pyrrhopterus Glossy-mantled Manucode - Manucodia ater Crinkle-collared Manucode - Manucodia chalybatus Curl-crested Manucode - Manucodia comrii Jobi Manucode - Manucodia jobiensis Trumpet Manucode - Manucodia keraudrenii Short-tailed Paradigalla - Paradigalla brevicauda		Long-tailed Paradigalla - Paradigalla carunculata Greater Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea apoda Goldie's Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea decora Emperor Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea guilielmi Lesser Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea minor Raggiana Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea raggiana Red Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea rubra Blue Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea rudolphi Carola's Parotia - Parotia carolae Eastern Parotia - Parotia helenae Lawes's Parotia - Parotia lawesii Western Parotia - Parotia sefilata Wahnes's Parotia - Parotia wahnesi King-of-saxony Bird-of-paradise - Pteridophora alberti Eastern Riflebird - Ptiloris intercedens Magnificent Riflebird - Ptiloris magnificus Paradise Riflebird - Ptiloris paradiseus Victoria's Riflebird - Ptiloris victoriae Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise - Seleucidis melanoleucus Semioptera wallacii

Additional Information

Key: Profile Photos Video Audio

Black Sicklebill - Epimachus fastuosus
The black sicklebill is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Black Sicklebill - Epimachus fastuosus
The black sicklebill gets its name from its long sickle-shaped bill.
Source: BirdLife International Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Blue Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea rudolphi
The blue bird-of-paradise is found in Papua New Guinea.
Source: BirdLife International Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Blue Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea rudolphi
The male blue bird-of-paradise courts a female by hanging upside down from a branch and displaying his bright blue plumes.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Blue Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea rudolphi
The male blue bird-of-paradise has two long ribbon-like tail feathers.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Brown Sicklebill - Epimachus meyeri
The brown sicklebill is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Glossy-mantled Manucode - Manucodia ater
The glossy-mantled manucode is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Greater Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea apoda
The greater bird-of-paradise is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Greater Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea apoda
The greater bird-of-paradise is the largest bird-of-paradise.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Huon Astrapia - Astrapia rothschildi  
The Huon astrapia is found in Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

King Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus regius
The king bird-of-paradise is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

King Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus regius
The male king bird-of-paradise is red and white with blue feet and a yellow bill.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

King-of-saxony Bird-of-paradise - Pteridophora alberti
The King-of-saxony bird-of-paradise is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Lawes's Parotia - Parotia lawesii
Lawes's parotia is also knonw as the six-wired bird-of-paradise. It is found in Papua New Guinea.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Lesser Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea minor
The lesser bird-of-paradise is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Magnificent Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus magnificus
The magnificent bird-of-paradise is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Magnificent Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus magnificus
The male magnificent bird-of-paradise has yellow wings, a green breast, blue feet, and two long green tail feathers.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Magnificent Riflebird - Ptiloris magnificus
The magnificent riflebird is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Paradise Riflebird - Ptiloris paradiseus
The paradise riflebird is found in Australia.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Raggiana Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea raggiana
The Raggiana bird-of-paradise is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Raggiana Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea raggiana
The Raggiana bird-of-paradise is the national bird of Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Red Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea rubra
The red bird-of-paradise is found in Indonesia.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Red Bird-of-paradise - Paradisaea rubra
The red bird-of-paradise has a brown body and a yellow back and neck. The male has a green face and the female has a black face.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Ribbon-tailed Astrapia - Astrapia mayeri  
The ribbon-tailed astrapia is found in Papua New Guinea.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Ribbon-tailed Astrapia - Astrapia mayeri  
The ribbon-tailed astrapia male has two extremely long white tail feathers that are three times the length of his body.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Short-tailed Paradigalla - Paradigalla brevicauda
The short-tailed paradigalla is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Superb Bird-of-paradise - Lophorina superba
The superb bird-of-paradise is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Superb Bird-of-paradise - Lophorina superba
The male superb bird-of-paradise has a blue-green breast shield that he spreads out when he is courting a female.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Trumpet Manucode - Manucodia keraudrenii
The trumpet manucode is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise - Seleucidis melanoleucus
The twelve-wired bird-of-paradise is found in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Victoria's Riflebird - Ptiloris victoriae
Victoria's riflebird is found in Australia.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Wallace's Standardwing - Semioptera wallacii
Wallace's standardwing is found in Indonesia.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Wahnes's Parotia - Parotia wahnesi
Wahnes's parotia is found in Papua New Guinea.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Wahnes's Parotia - Parotia wahnesi
The male Wahnes's parotia has six long, racket-tipped plumes on his head and blue-and-white eyes.
Source: BirdLife International Intended Audience: General Reading Level: High School

Wahnes's Parotia - Parotia wahnesi
Wahnes's parotia is found in mountain forests.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Western Parotia - Parotia sefilata
The western parotia is found in Indonesia.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Wilson's Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus respublica
Wilson's bird-of-paradise is found in Indonesia.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Wilson's Bird-of-paradise - Cicinnurus respublica
The male Wilson's bird-of-paradise has two purple curly cued tail feathers.
Source: Internet Bird Collection Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School