Fun Greater Bird Of Paradise Facts For Kids

If you are someone who gets super excited about the study of birds, then a greater bird of paradise would, for sure, fascinate you. The greater bird of paradise, being the largest bird in the Paradisaea genus, is also referred to as Paradisaea apoda or the legless bird of paradise.

The Swedish botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus named it so. Linnaeus named them ‘apoda’, which means ‘legless’.

Are they legless? No!

The reason for this name would surprise you. If you see the history of it, in the early sixteenth century, native traders, who brought the early trade skins to Europe, removed their wings and feet and used them for decoration.

The wingless and footless appearance of the birds led to a misconception by the explorers that these magical birds were always in the sky, kept up by their plumes, and never touched the earth.

They believed that these birds were visitors from paradise, which explains the reason for its name. However, there are no birds from paradise.

It is a misconception. Read ahead for more fascinating facts about greater birds of paradise.

If you enjoy our facts about greater birds of paradise, you might also love to read our red bird of paradise facts and barn owl facts.

Greater Bird Of Paradise Interesting Facts

What class of animal does a greater bird of paradise belong to?

With the scientific name Paradisaea apoda, the greater bird of paradise belongs to the class Aves (birds) and the genus Paradisaea.

How many greater birds of paradise are left in the world?

The actual population of the species Paradisaea apoda remains unknown. They are widespread on the Aru Islands of Indonesia and southwest New Guinea. However, these birds are hunted for their colorful plumes by local tribes. Additionally, deforestation has led to the loss of their habitat. All these reasons have resulted in a decrease in population.

Where does a greater bird of paradise live?

The greater birds of paradise, Paradisaea apoda, live in the woods.

What is a greater bird of paradise's habitat?

The distribution of Paradisaea apoda, or legless bird of paradise, is found in the lowland and hill forests of New Guinea and Indonesia (Aru Islands).

Who does the greater bird of paradise live with?

Knowledge about the social behavior of the greater bird of paradise is minimal. Generally, they are considered to be solitary birds. However, the female birds with maroon-brown plumage search for food together with other birds of paradise species.

How long does a greater bird of paradise live?

The greater bird of paradise, Paradisaea apoda, lives up to 30 years under the care of experts. However, its life span is as short as 5-7 years in wild regions.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding of male birds of paradise, Paradisaea apoda, is polygamous, which means one male bird mates with many female birds. Their courtship behavior includes dance displays and calls.

First, they gather around display perches and rapidly flap their wings, and erect their flank plumes while keeping their wings extended. Later, they withdraw their wings with their tail wires still upright.

The female paradise greater bird chooses a male based on the benefits that genetically increase the fitness of their offspring. Breeding happens between March and May and later from August to December. The female lays up to around seven eggs in a clutch.

What is their conservation status?

As per IUCN, the Red List of threatened species, the Greater Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea apoda, is categorized as a Least Concern (LC) species. Being a common species in their native range, they are not extinct. However, their population is decreasing due to deforestation and other factors, making them endangered. Therefore, they need to be prevented from becoming extinct.

Greater Bird Of Paradise Fun Facts

What does a greater bird of paradise look like?

With extravagant, colorful plumage, the greater bird of paradise is an astounding species in the wild. Females are vast in size as compared to males. They also display a sexually dimorphic plumage.

Males possess a shimmering yellow and silver nape, head, and crown, along with a green face. The flank plumes that are yellow at the bottom are widely used in displays. Females are uniformly maroon brown all over their heads, crown, and feathers and possess brown plumage.

How cute are they?

With a splendid blend of colorful feathers and fabulous flank plumes, the greater bird of paradise, particularly males, are a treat for your eyes.

How do they communicate?

They communicate through dances and calls. Their loud wok-wok cries resonate through the woods as they forage around in association with other species.

How big is a greater bird of paradise?

Greater birds of paradise are the largest among the Paradisaea genus. The length of a male bird is around 17 in (43 cm), without including its tail wires. You would be taken by surprise to know that these birds are about 4-5 times larger than hummingbirds.

How fast can a greater bird of paradise fly?

The exact speed with which these birds fly is unknown.

How much does a greater bird of paradise weigh?

The greater bird of paradise weighs around 0.37 lb, around 170 g.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names for the male and female of the species. Both male and female greater birds of paradise are named Paradisaea apoda.

What would you call a baby greater bird of paradise?

Like any other bird, the baby greater bird of paradise is called a chick.

How does the greater bird Of paradise get its food?

The greater bird of paradise mainly feeds on small insects, seeds, and fruits. Female birds most often forage with other birds of paradise and birds of other species. They move about in different directions, searching for food. However, male birds are typically solitary.

Are they dangerous?

Birds of paradise are never dangerous to us. Humans pose a significant danger and threat to these beautiful species. Let's look at the history of early trade skins and the significance of the plumage of the paradise birds.

We can find that the feathers adorned the headdresses of warriors, dancers, and fashionable women. They were an essential part of weddings and ceremonies. These birds were hunted and packed for these purposes, decreasing their population.

Would they make a good pet?

They are mostly sought after for trading purposes than as pets.

Did you know...

There are almost 42 species that are a part of the Paradisaeidae family, commonly known as birds of paradise.

During the early twentieth century, the plumes embellished hats and remained a fashion trend in America and Europe.

What is the difference between the greater bird of paradise and the lesser bird of paradise?

The length of the greater bird of paradise (Paradisaea apoda) ranges from 14-17 in (35-43 cm) while the lesser bird of paradise (Paradisaea minor) is around 12.5 in (32 cm) long.

The male lesser bird of paradise is as colorful as the male greater bird of paradise, with a dark emerald throat and bright yellow and white flank plumes.

The female lesser bird of paradise is a maroon brown species with white shades on its lower side, while the female greater bird of paradise has no white underside and is completely maroon brown.

What are the yellow feathers on a greater bird of paradise?

The yellow feathers on a greater bird of paradise are the flank plumes that turn white and splashed with maroon shades.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these secretary bird facts, or great green macaw.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our greater Bird of Paradise coloring pages.