Vogelkop superb bird-of-paradise, Lophorina niedda
The crescent-caped lophorina or Vogelkop superb bird-of-paradise (Lophorina niedda), sometimes noted as the curl-caped bird-of-paradise,[2] is a species of the Paradisaeidae (bird-of-paradise) family. It is endemic to the Bird’s Head Peninsula in New Guinea (Vogelkop in Dutch).[3] First described in 1930 by Ernst Mayr, it had been treated as a subspecies of the superb bird-of-paradise but was elevated to the status of a full species in 2018 based on its striking black plumage that its feathers absorb 99.95 percent of light[4] and behavioral differences especially visible in the courting male, as shown in audiovisual data documented by Scholes and Timothy Laman of Harvard University’s Museum of Comparative Zoology
Etymology
The crescent-caped lophorina’s scientific name consists of the words lophorina, meaning “tuft/crest-nose”, referring to the upward-standing tufts of feathers behind each nostril, and niedda which refers to the native onomatopoeic name for a bird-of-paradise. The subspecies, L. n. inopinata’s specific name means unexpected or unlooked for.
Taxonomy and systematics
Historical sources generally recorded the crescent-caped lophorina as being a subspecies of the superb bird-of-paradise (Lophorina superba niedda); however, some taxonomists argued that they were separate species altogether.[2] In 2018, the Vogelkop superb bird-of-paradise was confirmed to be a separate species to the superb bird-of-paradise. This was because of several differences in courtship behavior, as well as their geographic isolation from the rest of the population.[3] There are two known subspecies: L. n. niedda, found on the Wadammen Peninsula; and L. n. inopinata, found on the Doberai Peninsula.
Distribution and habitat
The crescent-caped lophorina is found in the mountains of Bird’s Neck Peninsula, in Western New Guinea, Indonesia.[1] It is typically found at heights of 1200–2000 m.
