Fun Red Bird Of Paradise Facts For Kids

The red bird of paradise (Paradisaea rubra) is one of 42 bright-colored birds of paradise species. Their name is based on the color of the male red bird of paradise, which has a green-colored face and glossy red and brown plumage with two long corkscrew-shaped tails. These birds are natives of Indonesia, where the climate and habitat are most favorable for the growth of their population. Their geographic range remains limited for this reason.

These birds are at times spotted sharing their habitats with Wilson's bird of paradise. There have been many assumptions that these two species have bred to create a hybrid bird species and, although there are no specific records of this, the assumptions are quite strong as most birds of paradise are known to engage in hybridization processes.

To know more about these fascinating birds, their habitat, and how they live, do check out the facts about the red bird of paradise animal given below. For more information about other animals check out our guides to the ostrich and the cardinal bird.

What type of animal is a red bird of paradise?

The red bird of paradise is a bird from the Paradisaeidae family.

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

These birds belong to the Aves class of animals.

How many red birds of paradise are there in the world?

These birds are considered to be a threatened species, but their exact population count is not known.

Where does a red bird of paradise live?

These birds are native Indonesian birds that are found in Waideo, the Batanta Islands, Raja Ampat, and Saonek.

What is a red bird of paradise's habitat?

These birds live in open forests and prefer tropical climates. This is a major reason why they are mainly found in Indonesia, in rainforests with lowlands. They are usually seen on treetops in hill forests.

Who does a red bird of paradise live with?

Most birds of paradise are considered to be solitary. Even though a few of these red birds of paradise have been spotted sharing their space with Wilson's birds of paradise, these birds are ultimately solitary and prefer their own company.

How long does a red bird of paradise live?

These birds have a life expectancy of around seven to eight years while living in their favorable habitat.

How do they reproduce?

These birds are polygamous and male birds engage in a lekking ceremony (a kind of breeding display) during their breeding season which usually begins at the start of the summer months in July and lasts throughout the summer, until September. Males perform quite a complicated display of their bright and colorful wings, tail patterns, and dance moves. They open up their wings in a flare that looks like a butterfly and carry out a few calls to attract a female mate.

In captivity, it has been observed that females make the nest, and males are not seen around after mating. They then lay eggs in a clutch of one to two eggs each day. After laying all the eggs the female incubates them for two weeks and cares for the babies after they hatch. This caring continues for half a month or around 20 days until the nestling is ready to be independent.

What is their conservation status?

These birds are on the Near Threatened list according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Logging and habitat destruction are the chief threats to their population as the red bird of paradise is mostly confined to a specific geographic range.

What does the red bird of paradise look like?

Male and female birds look very different and a male red bird of paradise is much more colorful in comparison with a female red bird of paradise. Males have a dark green face with green-colored pompoms above their brown-colored beady eyes which act as eyebrows. They have a yellowish-green bill and yellow or white color patches on both the breasts and the neck. They have brown-colored feathery plumage all over with a thick red plume on the underparts of the tail and two black long tail wires that usually have a corkscrew shape at the end.

Females, on the other hand, have a dark brown face with a grayish bill and beady eyes. They have a cream-colored neck and a brown, feathery body. They are usually smaller than males and do not have fancy and glossy plumage.

How cute are they?

As their name suggests, these red birds of paradise are one of 42 beautiful-looking birds of paradise and that surely makes them cute. The males, in particular, are an explosion of colors, and their amazing dancing style to attract mates makes them fascinating to watch too.

How do they communicate?

These birds of paradise are known to communicate using different calls which range from a high-pitched 'ca-ca' to a throaty 'wok-wok' sound. Apart from these different calls, they also use physical gestures and dancing tricks to express their feelings and attract a mate.

How big is a red bird of paradise?

Red birds of paradise are often larger than the king bird of paradise (16 in). A red bird of paradise has a maximum length of around 28.3 in (72 cm), which makes them quite a large bird species.

How fast can a red bird of paradise fly?

As these birds do not migrate, their flight speed is not known. Despite this, they look very impressive, large, powerful, and beautiful while taking flight, especially when it comes to the male red bird of paradise.

How much does a red bird of paradise weigh?

An average male red bird of paradise has a weight range of 5.6-1.7 oz (158–224 g) while a female red bird of paradise weighs around 4.1-7.3 oz (115–208 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

There are no specific names for red birds of paradise based on gender. However, in general, male birds are called 'cocks' while female birds are called 'hens'.

What would you call a baby red bird of paradise?

A baby bird of paradise is called a chick or a nestling, just like any other bird.

What do they eat?

These birds are omnivores in nature. Although adult birds usually feed on berries and many other fresh fruits, they are seen feeding their young with arthropods like cockroaches and crickets, as well as small mice for a supply of nutrients, especially during their growing period.

Are they dangerous?

Even though these birds perform competitive lekking activities, they are not reported to be aggressive or dangerous to each other or humans.

Would they make a good pet?

These birds can be kept in zoos and national parks with artificially created habitats, but they prefer to live in the wild and cannot be kept as a pet.

Did you know...

Red birds of paradise are known to share their name with a similar-looking flower. 'Red bird of paradise' is also a name used for a flower with the scientific name Caesalpinia pulcherrima, and this red bird of paradise flower sports similar bright orange, green, and red colors!

The Red Bird Of Paradise's Calls

The most well-known call by these red birds of paradise is their high-pitched 'wok-wok' sound that males specifically use to attract female mates during the breeding season. They also use other 'ca-ca' and 'kaw-kaw' calls or ticking sounds. These are used to alert other birds about any nearby danger.

How did the red bird of paradise get its name?

The name 'red bird of paradise' is based on the bright coloring of the bird. Its glossy red plumage is the distinguishing factor that earned this bird species the name 'red bird of paradise'.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including the mockingbird and the peacock.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our red bird of paradise coloring pages.