Astrapia rothschildi
Large astrapia with exceptionally long, broad tail markedly graduated, Male has entirely black head and nape with green-blue iridescence, notably on fine scale-like crown feathers; iridescent dark green hindneck and mantle feathers are plate-like, forming distinctive cowl, exposed bases broadly tipped iridescent magenta, more coppery red against nape; blackish back with olive-green sheen, blackish rump; black upperwing with blue-purple sheen; uppertai! velvety black with bluish-purple to pinkish-purple sheens; breast like head, bordered below by strongly iridescent distinct fine coppery-orange gorget; silk-like feathers of lower breast and belly oily dark green, some larger plate-like feathers down breast side strongly iridescent and paler, lime-green; matt brownish-black thighs, vent and undertail-coverts; iris dark brown; bill shiny black; legs fleshy lead-grey. Female is much smaller than male, with wing and tail significantly shorter; plumage radically different, with slightest of dull blue iridescent sheen on head and upper breast, otherwise entirely sooty black except for fine. Inconspicuous pale barring on abdomen and undertail-coverts. Juvenile undescribed; immature like adult female but slightly larger, lacking pale nape barring, with abdomen barring much reduced, blue iridescence on head increasing and abdomen barring decreasing with age; subadult male varies, like adult female with few feathers of adult male plumage intruding to like adult male but with few feathers of female-like plumage remaining, with age head becomes increasingly iridescent and barring on underparls becomes obscured by increasing blackish plumage; all rectrices grow progressively longer with increasing male age.
Not Threatened
Large astrapia with exceptionally long, broad tail markedly graduated, Male has entirely black head and nape with green-blue iridescence, notably on fine scale-like crown feathers; iridescent dark green hindneck and mantle feathers are plate-like, forming distinctive cowl, exposed bases broadly tipped iridescent magenta, more coppery red against nape; blackish back with olive-green sheen, blackish rump; black upperwing with blue-purple sheen; uppertai! velvety black with bluish-purple to pinkish-purple sheens; breast like head, bordered below by strongly iridescent distinct fine coppery-orange gorget; silk-like feathers of lower breast and belly oily dark green, some larger plate-like feathers down breast side strongly iridescent and paler, lime-green; matt brownish-black thighs, vent and undertail-coverts; iris dark brown; bill shiny black; legs fleshy lead-grey. Female is much smaller than male, with wing and tail significantly shorter; plumage radically different, with slightest of dull blue iridescent sheen on head and upper breast, otherwise entirely sooty black except for fine. Inconspicuous pale barring on abdomen and undertail-coverts. Juvenile undescribed; immature like adult female but slightly larger, lacking pale nape barring, with abdomen barring much reduced, blue iridescence on head increasing and abdomen barring decreasing with age; subadult male varies, like adult female with few feathers of adult male plumage intruding to like adult male but with few feathers of female-like plumage remaining, with age head becomes increasingly iridescent and barring on underparls becomes obscured by increasing blackish plumage; all rectrices grow progressively longer with increasing male age.
Male 69 cm, 186-205 g; female 47 cm. 143-200 g
Taxonomy: Astrapia rothschildi Foerster, 1906, Rawlinson Mountains, north-eastern New Guinea. Monotypic. (source: Handbook of the Birds of World)
Distribution:
- Huon Peninsula (Finisterre Mts, Saruwaged Range, Cromwell Mts, Rawlinson Mts), in NE New Guinea.
Middle montane, upper montane and subalpine forests, at 1460-3010 m. Display trees located on broad crests of ridges, often at edge of windfall clearing.
Little known. Diet fruits and animals. Seeks animal prey by biting and tearingat mosses on branches and twigs and inspecting or probing knotholes. Group of four or five female-plumaged individuals may forage together.
Egg-laying at least Oct-Nov; male with moderately enlarged gonads Mar and Oct and female with enlarged gonads Mar and Aug; display recorded only 31st Jan to 7th Feb. Courtship display involves low-intensity erect posture with tail-fanning, and high-intensity inverted posture with various tail movements; between display males hop back and forth between adjacent perches. Nest a firm shallow cup mostly of vines, rootlets and creepers on conspicuous foundantion of large, strong, broad leaves and leaf peaces, leaf skeletons and moss, with odd pieces of moss on outside of structure (mostly on rim); one nest had some fine hair-like rootlets as egg-cup lining. Clutch 1 egg. No other information.