Magnificent bird-of-paradise

Magnificent bird-of-paradise
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Paradisaeidae
Genus:	Cicinnurus
Species:	C. magnificus
Binomial name
Cicinnurus magnificus (Pennant, 1781)
Synonyms
Diphyllodes magnificus

The magnificent bird-of-paradise (Cicinnurus magnificus) is a species of bird-of-paradise.

The magnificent bird-of-paradise is distributed amongst the hill and mid-mountain forests of New Guinea and surrounding islands. Their diet consists mainly of fruits. Like most members of the Paradisaeidae family, the male is polygamous and performs an elaborate courtship display.

A widespread and common species throughout their large range, the magnificent bird-of-paradise is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. They are listed on Appendix II of CITES.

Description

The magnificent bird-of-paradise is small, up to 26 cm-long, with extremely complex plumage. The male has seemingly incandescent yellow wings, an iridescent-green breast shield, blue feet, and is adorned with a yellow mantle on his neck. He has two long, curved, blue-green sickle-like tail feathers. The female is a comparatively drab olive-brown bird with black-barred buffy underparts. She lays two creamy yellow eggs.

Subspecies

• Cicinnurus magnificus chrysopterus
• Cicinnurus magnificus hunsteini
• Cicinnurus magnificus intermedius
• Cicinnurus magnificus magnificus"

Gallery

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  Male

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  Male

External links

• BirdLife Species Factsheet