Very small paradisaeid with upper ridge of culmen sharply keeled to knife edge (as in C. respublica and Semiopiera). Male nominate race has crimson head, chin, breast and upperparts, more orange on forecrown and tuft of elongate plush feathering over culmen base, discrete spot of black feathering above central eye showing iridescent dark green; elongate mantle "cape" feathers, back, rump, tertials and some upper-wing-coverts crimson to carmine with intense white iridescence, uppertail-coverts duller, more orange (less glossy crimson); upperwing predominantly glossy crimson, flight-feathers and some coverts variably brown; uppertail dark brownish-olive with brown-orange outer feather edges, elongated central feather pair reduced to fine bare red-brown central shafts with remarkable terminal spiral discs, latter (formed of inner feather web) iridescent metallic dark green with bronzed-yellow sheen; lowermost crimson throat feathers finely tipped pale buff where they meet narrow breast shield of iridescent dark green (can appear jet-black to burnished green-yellow in some lights); on each side of shield several elongate erectile fan-shaped olive-brown pectoral plumes, these pinkish-buff immediately prior to a broad iridescent tip of metallic bright green; remaining undcrparts white; iris pale brown to dark brown or greyish-brown; bill ivory-yellow, mouth pale aqua-green; legs violaceous cobalt-blue to blue-grey. Female is similar in size to male, but tail (excluding central rectrices) longer; plumage radically different, in cryptically drab-coloured olive-brown above, with rusty margins on greater coverts, remiges and tail feathers, often with paler, huffier area above eye, variably buff on breast, flanks and lower belly, and entire underside finely and uniformly barred dark brown; bill and legs duller than adult male's. Newly fledged juvenile (11 days) has upper head brown, tinged russet, with light superciliary stripe with dark spot above, upperparts and tail grey-brown, wing feathers darker brown, greater coverts and outer primaries red-brown, chin grey-tinged brownish-yellow with fine streaks and points, underparts light grey with dark barring, iris grey-brown, bill-horn coloured, legs paler blue than female; immature male like adult, younger (darker-billed) individuals having much orange-rufous on wing-coverts and outer edges of flight-feathers, and orange-rufous wash on upper breast and (more so) to side of it, but steadily losing this as acquiring increasingly paler bill and then the ted of adult plumage, rectrices pointed at tips; subadult male variable, like adult female with few feathers of adult male plumage intruding to like adult male with few feathers of female-like plumage remaining; with age, male acquires progressively shorter outer rectrices while simultaneously gaining progressively longer centra) pair. Race coccineifrons is very like nominate, differs only in having central pair of rectrices and bill slightly longer.
Not Threatened
Very small paradisaeid with upper ridge of culmen sharply keeled to knife edge (as in C. respublica and Semiopiera). Male nominate race has crimson head, chin, breast and upperparts, more orange on forecrown and tuft of elongate plush feathering over culmen base, discrete spot of black feathering above central eye showing iridescent dark green; elongate mantle "cape" feathers, back, rump, tertials and some upper-wing-coverts crimson to carmine with intense white iridescence, uppertail-coverts duller, more orange (less glossy crimson); upperwing predominantly glossy crimson, flight-feathers and some coverts variably brown; uppertail dark brownish-olive with brown-orange outer feather edges, elongated central feather pair reduced to fine bare red-brown central shafts with remarkable terminal spiral discs, latter (formed of inner feather web) iridescent metallic dark green with bronzed-yellow sheen; lowermost crimson throat feathers finely tipped pale buff where they meet narrow breast shield of iridescent dark green (can appear jet-black to burnished green-yellow in some lights); on each side of shield several elongate erectile fan-shaped olive-brown pectoral plumes, these pinkish-buff immediately prior to a broad iridescent tip of metallic bright green; remaining undcrparts white; iris pale brown to dark brown or greyish-brown; bill ivory-yellow, mouth pale aqua-green; legs violaceous cobalt-blue to blue-grey. Female is similar in size to male, but tail (excluding central rectrices) longer; plumage radically different, in cryptically drab-coloured olive-brown above, with rusty margins on greater coverts, remiges and tail feathers, often with paler, huffier area above eye, variably buff on breast, flanks and lower belly, and entire underside finely and uniformly barred dark brown; bill and legs duller than adult male's. Newly fledged juvenile (11 days) has upper head brown, tinged russet, with light superciliary stripe with dark spot above, upperparts and tail grey-brown, wing feathers darker brown, greater coverts and outer primaries red-brown, chin grey-tinged brownish-yellow with fine streaks and points, underparts light grey with dark barring, iris grey-brown, bill-horn coloured, legs paler blue than female; immature male like adult, younger (darker-billed) individuals having much orange-rufous on wing-coverts and outer edges of flight-feathers, and orange-rufous wash on upper breast and (more so) to side of it, but steadily losing this as acquiring increasingly paler bill and then the ted of adult plumage, rectrices pointed at tips; subadult male variable, like adult female with few feathers of adult male plumage intruding to like adult male with few feathers of female-like plumage remaining; with age, male acquires progressively shorter outer rectrices while simultaneously gaining progressively longer centra) pair. Race coccineifrons is very like nominate, differs only in having central pair of rectrices and bill slightly longer.
Male 16 cm (31 cm inclusive of central rectrices). 43-65 g; female 19 cm, 38-58 g
Taxonomy: Paradisea regia Linnaeus, 1758, Aru Islands, New Guinea. Hybridization with C. magnificus recorded. Proposed races rex (described from Sorong district, in Vogelkop) and gymnorhynchus (from near Finschhafen, on NE coast of Huon Peninsula) synonymized with nominate, and cryptorhynchus (from Taua, on lower Mamberamo R) and similis (from Stephansort, in Astrolabe Bay) treated as synonyms of coccineifrons. Two subspecies recognized. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Subspecies and Distribution:
- * regius ( Linnaeus, 1758) - West Papuan Is (Salawati, Misool), Aru Is, and scattered localities in mainland New Guinea except N portion. * coccineifrons Rothschild, 1896 - N New Guinea from E coast of Geelvink Bay E to E Ramu R.
Lowland rainforest, monsoon forest, gallery forest and forest edge, including disturbed areas and tall secondary forest; from sea-level to 950 m, mainly no higher than 300-400 m.
Fruits and arthropods; no information on relative proportions of each. Forages at various levels of forest; joins mixed-species foraging flocks that may include C. magnificus and Paradisaea species.
Breeds at least Mar-Oct, but probably in all months over range; two separate females with newly fledged young in May; males with much-enlarged gonads in Jan-Nov (mainly Apr-Oct), a female with enlarged oocytes in late Mar; display in Oct-Jan in SE of range (Port Moresby area). Polygynous, solitary to communal promiscuous males defoliating a traditional arboreal court; female builds and attends nest alone. Court in thick subcanopy vines of shaded forest interior; adult males dispersed predominantly in twos c. 45-90 m apart, but occasional group of four may gather to form lek: some males 150 m to more than 530 m apart, apparently forming mating system intermediate between non-territorial one and exploded lek; adult males vocalize persistently throughout day. Courtship involves a dance, and inverted and flight postures, with movements of wings, pectoral fans, relictual flank plumes and central rectrices, and gaping; display phases include Wing-cupping, Dancing. Tail Swinging, Horizontal Open Wings Display, an Inverted Phase of the Open Wings Display, and a Pendulum Display. One nest described, in Aru Is. in tree hole 2 m above ground, entrance c. 38 mm in diameter and cavity depth c. 46 cm, filled to within "a few inches" of entrance perch with palm fibres. Clutch ) -2 eggs; incubation in captivity (from first egg) 17 days, chicks left nest (possibly prematurely) at 14 days of age; female performed distraction display when almost Hedged young examined by keeper.