The birds of paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes. They are found in eastern Indonesia, Torres Strait Islands, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Australia. The members of this family are perhaps best known for the plumage of the males of most species, in particular highly elongated and elaborate feathers extending from the beak, wings or head. Birds of paradise range in size from the King Bird of Paradise at 50 grams (1.8 oz) and 15 cm (6 in) to the Black Sicklebill at 110 cm (43 in) and the Curl-crested Manucode at 430 grams (15.2 oz).
Best known are the members of the genus Paradisaea , including the type species, the Greater Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea apoda . This species was described from specimens brought back to Europe from trading expeditions. These specimens had been prepared by native traders by removing their wings and feet so that they could be used as decorations. This was not known to the explorers and led to the belief that the birds never landed but were kept permanently aloft by their plumes. This is the origin of both the name "birds of paradise" and the specific name apoda - without feet.
Societies of New Guinea often use bird of paradise plumes in their dress and rituals, and the plumes were very important in Europe in ladies' millinery in past centuries.
Description. Bird-of-paradise or crane flower (Strelitzia reginae) is a native of South Africa and is closely related to the banana. The herbaceous plant derives its common names ...
The King Bird of Paradise, Cicinnurus regius is a small, approximately 16cm long, passerine bird of the Paradisaeidae family.
Looking like something only the twisted minds at Robot Chicken could think up, Mattel's "The Birds" Barbie wears the snazzy green outfit from Hitchcock's 1963 classic film, a trio of maniacal ravens, and a "just another day in paradise" smile.
Gardening success with the Bird of Paradise Plant requires knowledge of Strelitzia problems. Because it is such a unique plant, Strelitzia has unique gardening problems
"Happiness is a Blue Bird that one afternoon settled on our warm palm and left us something like a trace of a lost paradise that never was reached by anyone and that everyone dream with at some moment, sleeping or in wakefulness".
Situated in the northwestern state of Rajasthan, about 190 km from the national capital of Delhi, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is famously called as 'Ornithologist's Paradise'. Founded by Maharaja of Bharatpur in 1890, the bird sanctuary hosts a variety of bird species from across the globe.