42 Australian Geographic
from about the size of a rainbow lorikeet to that of a
magpie); they are predominantly rainforest birds; and
only the adult males wear the ‘fancy’ feathers. The males
of all three species are a rich, velvety black and all feature
patches of dazzling metallic blue-green iridescence on
their breast shields, crowns and tails. This colouration
may be what earned them the common name riflebird,
because of its resemblance to the uniforms of British
riflemen. Females and young birds of both sexes are more
demure in appearance, featuring grey-brown striped
plumage that looks a bit like pyjamas.
Like all birds-of-paradise, Australia’s male riflebirds
are beautiful when glimpsed going about their everyday
business. But it’s when they do what they do best –
bedazzle a female into a brief, but intimate, relationship- that they undergo a truly astonishing transformation.
During courtship the true purpose of their remark-
able plumage becomes clear. More than merely aesthetic,
it is a well-designed prop used to enchant their audience
during an intricate mating performance. During court-
ing, a male carefully positions itself to capture the sun’s
light on its breast. Then it shines the light into the dis-
cerning eyes of its female judge. It fans specially shaped
wing feathers to create an almost perfect circle; then
rubs the feather surfaces together with special wing
movements to create a rhythmic swish-swish-swish
sound. Throughout, its black plumage provides the per-
fect backdrop for highlighting the stunning flashes of
shimmering colour, in the same way a jeweller might
use dark velvet or silk to line a display cabinet.
It is these behaviours that Tim and I have worked so
hard to document through the Birds-of-Paradise Project,
and the results are remarkable. After 18 expeditions to
51 different field camps over the course of eight years,
Tim has managed to capture images of all 39 bird-of-
paradise species. Most of these were difficult to find and
even more difficult to photograph, which is what made
our experiences in south-eastern Queensland so special.
Observing Australia’s riflebirds in their natural habitats
offers hope for the future of birds-of-paradise in New
Guinea, where humans are increasingly encroaching on
once remote habitats.
Of Australia’s three riflebirds, the magnificent riflebird
is the largest and only non-endemic species. Unlike the
other two, it is decidedly not a ‘backyard’ bird. In NewCape York’s trumpet manucode is a relative of
Australia’s rifl ebirds. In all manucode species, the sexes
look identical and males don’t perform the fl ash mating
displays for which most birds-of-paradise are known.During courtship the true
purpose of their remarkable
plumage becomes clear.
SCIENTIFIC NAME:Phonygammus keraudreniiQUEENSLAND
Trumpet manucode
Phonygammus keraudrenii