Mating habits of the birds of paradise
THE CURIOUS BOBBING, FLAPPING and weaving displays of birds of paradise have enthralled twitchers for decades. These avian theatrics are performed by more than three dozen species, found mostly in rainforest regions of New Guinea, Indonesia and northern Australia.
The extravagant dancing and elaborate costumes are a mating strategy used by the brightly coloured males to display their virility to females. The aim is to attract as many females as possible in order to sire many offspring says Dr Walter Boles, bird collections officer at the Australian Museum in Sydney.
"Things are exaggerated - it's like a cold war, where everyone is competing, trying to have that little bit more than everyone else," he says. "The females tend to breed with the flashiest males, so there's a premium for an increasingly flashy displays."
The Australian Museum is next week launching an exhibition about birds of paradise and the people who share their lush rainforest habitat in New Guinea.
Birds of paradise: Dance of seduction
The exuberant displays are characteristic of most bird groups that are 'polygynous', including the birds of paradise. Polygynous means that promiscuous males attempt to mate with more than one female in each breeding cycle. And to attract females, and out-compete other males, they require extremely flashy features. After mating, the female bird of paradise is left to incubate the eggs and raise the chicks on her own.
Walter says the richness of their rainforest habitat - abundant in fruits and insects - reduces the males' responsibility for providing for themselves and offspring, so they are able to spend the energy instead on bright decorations and mating displays.
"[The extravagance] really seems to say to females 'look how much energy I have - it's costing me a lot but I'm really fit and strong enough'", Walter says.
The ornate plumage can even go so far as to impede a bird's ability to fly. Some birds sport excessive trailing head plumes
The extravagant dancing and elaborate costumes are a mating strategy used by the brightly coloured males to display their virility to females. The aim is to attract as many females as possible in order to sire many offspring says Dr Walter Boles, bird collections officer at the Australian Museum in Sydney.
"Things are exaggerated - it's like a cold war, where everyone is competing, trying to have that little bit more than everyone else," he says. "The females tend to breed with the flashiest males, so there's a premium for an increasingly flashy displays."
The Australian Museum is next week launching an exhibition about birds of paradise and the people who share their lush rainforest habitat in New Guinea.
Birds of paradise: Dance of seduction
The exuberant displays are characteristic of most bird groups that are 'polygynous', including the birds of paradise. Polygynous means that promiscuous males attempt to mate with more than one female in each breeding cycle. And to attract females, and out-compete other males, they require extremely flashy features. After mating, the female bird of paradise is left to incubate the eggs and raise the chicks on her own.
Walter says the richness of their rainforest habitat - abundant in fruits and insects - reduces the males' responsibility for providing for themselves and offspring, so they are able to spend the energy instead on bright decorations and mating displays.
"[The extravagance] really seems to say to females 'look how much energy I have - it's costing me a lot but I'm really fit and strong enough'", Walter says.
The ornate plumage can even go so far as to impede a bird's ability to fly. Some birds sport excessive trailing head plumes