Western parotia, Parotia sefilata
The western or Arfak parotia (Parotia sefilata), is a medium-sized, approximately 33 cm long, bird-of-paradise with a medium-length tail.
Parotia comes from the Greek parotis, a lock or curl of hair by the ear, alluding to the head wires. The specific name sefilata is derived from the Latin word ‘sex’, meaning six, and filum, a thread or filament.
Description
Like other birds-of-paradise, the western parotia is sexually dimorphic. The male has jet black plumage, with striking iridescent scale-like, golden-green breast shields and triangular silver feathers on its crown.[3] The occipital plumes (or head wires) arise from above and behind the eyes, with three long, erectile wire-like plumes with smaller spatulate tips, above and behind each eye.[2] As with most member in the family, the female is unadorned and has brown plumage.[4] The species is similar to Lawes’s parotia (Parotia lawesii).
Distribution
The western parotia is found only in the mountain forests of Vogelkop and the Wandammen Peninsula of Western New Guinea.[4]
Behaviour
The species is polygynous. Males presumably perform a series of courtship displays on terrestrial courts in exploded leks.[4]
In courtship display, the male performs a ballerina-like dance with its elongated black plumes spread around skirt-like, right below the iridescent breast shield. During the spectacular dance, he shakes his head and neck rapidly to show the brilliance of his inverted silver triangle-shaped head adornment to attending females.
The nest is built and attended by the female alone; breeding season is largely unknown.[2]
The diet consists mainly of fruits such as figs, and arthropods.
Status
A widespread and common species throughout its range, the western parotia is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[1] It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.
