10 Most Beautiful Birds of Paradise in the World

There are more than three dozen species in the family Paradisaeidae, or better known as the bird of paradise. There are about 13 genera of these birds and the most famous are members of the genus Paradisaea. In Indonesia we call it the bird of paradise. Characterized by striking and bright colors, feathers are yellow, blue, red, and green.

With these colors they become the most beautiful and attractive birds in the world, so they are called birds from heaven. Birds of paradise are found in Papua or Papua New Guinea and the surrounding islands, including Eastern Australia. Unfortunately, the existence of this bird is decreasing along with the number of irresponsible poaching.

1. Lesser bird of paradise (Paradisaea Minor)

The Lesser bird of paradise is known as the little yellow Cendrawasih. This bird is medium in size with a length of about 32 cm, red-brown in color with a yellow crown and brownish yellow upper back.

The male bird has a dark emerald-green throat, a pair of long tails and is decorated with yellow wing feathers on the base and white on the outside. The female bird is smaller than the male bird, has a dark brown head, white chest and no decorative feathers. Its range includes all of the northern forests of Papua New Guinea, and the islands near Misool and Yapen.

2. Raggiana bird of paradise (Paradisaea Raggiana)

The Raggiana bird of paradise is also known as Count Raggi's bird of paradise. This bird is also best known as the bird of paradise. The habitat of this bird is widely distributed in the southern and northeastern islands of Irian. Has a length of 34 cm long, red-greyish brown, yellow iris and legs grayish brown.

The male bird has a yellow crown, a dark emerald-green throat and a yellow collar between the throats. Wing feather color varies from red to orange depending on the subspecies. The female bird is smaller than the male bird, with a brown face and no decorative feathers.

3. Ribbon-tailed Astrapia (Astrapia Mayeri)

This is one of the most spectacular birds of paradise. Its name is Astrapia Ribbon-tailed and it has the longest tail feathers in relation to body size, reaching more than three times its body length. The length of an adult bird reaches 32 cm with a male tail that can reach 1 meter.

The male bird has black and olive green colors while the female bird is brown. The male bird has a long white ribbon-shaped tail. The distribution area is in the central part of the island of Irian.

4. Blue bird of paradise (Paradisaea Rudolphi)

His name reminds the name of one of the taxi transportation in Indonesia. This bird is about 30 cm in size, black, dark brown irises, gray legs. Male birds are decorated with wing feathers with a predominance of purple and blue. So it is also called the Blue Cendrawasih. The Blue Bird of Paradise is a bird endemic to Papua New Guinea. Its distribution area includes the mountains of southeastern Papua New Guinea.

5. Riflebird Paradise (Ptiloris Paradiseus)

If you've seen the movie Planet Earth, then you'll see this bird. This bird has a length of about 30 cm with a black male bird with a colorful turquoise crown, black legs, dark brown irises and a yellow mouth.

The female bird of this type is olive brown. Endemic to eastern Australia, the Riflebird is also found in the rainforests of New South Wales and central Queensland. The male bird can spread his wings and show them off while moving left and right in front of the female bird to attract them.

6. Red bird of paradise (Paradisaea Rubra)

We call it the Red Cendrawasih, about 33cm long, yellow and brown, and a yellow beak. Adult male birds can reach 72cm including the decorative feathers which are blood red with a white tip on the side of the abdomen. The facial hair is dark emerald green and on the tail there are two long black double twisted ropes.

The female bird is smaller than the male bird, with a dark brown face and no decorative feathers. Endemic to Indonesia, the Red Cendrawasih is only found in lowland forests on the islands of Waigeo and Batanta in Raja Ampat district, West Irian Jaya province.

7. Lawes's Parotia (Parotia Lawesii)

Parotia lawesii is medium in size up to 27 cm). Its distribution area includes mountainous forests in the southeast and east of Papua New Guinea. The male bird has a black color with a white forehead, blue purple neck and gold green chest feathers.

Adorned with three decorative wire heads from behind each eye and extends flanking black feathers. The female bird is brown with a dark bird's head, yellow and dark irises.

8. King of Saxony bird of paradise (Pteridophora Alberti)

King of Saxonyi is a kind of small songbird, about 22cm long. Adult male birds have black and dark yellow feathers, on their heads there are two strands of shiny sky blue scaly wire feathers like a banner that reach 40cm in length and can be erected when attracting females.

Therefore, this bird is eaten by Cendrawasih Panji. The coat and back fur grow elongated in the form of a black hood. The irises are dark brown, the legs are brownish gray and the beak is black with the inside of the mouth green. The female bird is brownish gray with dark stripes and spots. Females are smaller than males and are not decorated with ornate wire coats or feathers. The distribution area is in the mountainous forests of the island of Irian.

9. Wilson's Bird of Paradise (Cicinnurus Respublica)

Wilson's Bird of Paradise is quite small in size up to 21 cm. The male Burun is red and black in color with a yellow cape around the neck, a light green mouth, blue legs and two curved purple tail feathers.

Meanwhile, the female has brownish color with blue crown. It is endemic to Indonesia, with distribution areas in the hills and lowland rainforests of the Waigeo and Batanta Islands of West Papua.

10. Princess Stephanie's Astrapia (Astrapia Stephaniae)

Stephanie Astrapia measures about 37 cm, this bird is black with blue-green and purple head colors, besides that it has a long purple-black tail feather.

The female bird is dark brown with a bluish black head. Its natural habitat is in the mountains in central and eastern Papua New Guinea.