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Paradisaeidae
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Parotia
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Bronze Parotia Parotia berlepschi Scientific name definitions

Clifford Frith and Dawn Frith
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2009

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

c. 25 cm. Male has blackish head and body, with nape, upper neck and mantle heavily bronzed; short erectile frontal crest tipped silver-white, elongate and vertically raised loral and foreface feathering from nostril to above eye tipped whitish at rear (above eye), eye narrowly encircled by dark iridescent golden-brown feathering; crown with dark golden yellowish-brown iridescence, and similar but darker sheen on ear-coverts, nape and hind­neck; behind each eye, from amid ear-tuft of elongate narrowly pointed feathers, three long erectile wire-like occipital plumes (12 cm long) with small spatulate tips; chin, cheek and throat black (slight reddish-brown iridescence in some lights), lower central throat slightly paler, grading into otherwise discrete breast shield of scale-like feathers with iridescence of bronzed yellow-green; rest of central underparts blackish-brown, inwardly curving flank plumes black, brown and white; iris cerulean grey-blue; bill dark grey; legs blackish. Differs from similar P. carolae mainly in having slightly shorter bill with upper mandible more decurved, cheeks and chin to throat black, nape and hindneck with golden-brown sheen, elongate loral feathering without whitish terminal tips and less inwardly curled, occipital plumes slightly longer, iris blue (not yellow). Female is smaller than male, lacks occipital plumes and iridescence, has brown upperparts, brownish head and upperparts with broad supercilium, moustachial and submoustachial stripes white, lightly flecked olive-brown, some paler flecks extending onto anterior ear-coverts, malar area olive-brown, chin faintly barred greyish-brown, throat whitish with tiny brown markings, rufous area on exposed parts of flight-feathers and outer greater coverts, and finely dark-barred whitish underparts. Immature male has slightly more extensive whitish on elongate loral feathering, tail longer than adult male.

Systematics History

Formerly treated as a race of P. carolae, but differs in bill morphology, iris colour, plumage and voice. Possible presence of this or another member of genus in Cyclops Mts requires investigation (1). Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Foja Mts, in W New Guinea.

Habitat

Montane wet forest, at c. 1100–2000 m.

Movement

Presumably resident.

Diet and Foraging

No information.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Little information. Primary contact song said possibly to be distinct from that of both P. carolae and P. lawesii; as these exhibit considerable vocal variation, fieldwork and confirmation required.

Breeding

No information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife LC Least Concern
Not assessed. CITES II. Until recently was treated as a race of more widespread P. carolae. Was for a long time known only from a handful of specimens, and virtually unknown in the field; female observed in Foja Mts in 1985. No further observations until, in Dec 2005, an international team of eleven scientists (from USA, Australia and Indonesia) rediscovered this parotia, among other little-known and new species, in Foja Mts. Habitat within its very small range is currently secure, and area is mostly uninhabited by humans. In view of this species' remote, isolated and highly restricted range within W New Guinea, it would be potentially at risk were any change in status of its presently undisturbed habitat to occur. Extensive further fieldwork and surveys are required.
Distribution of the Bronze Parotia - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Bronze Parotia

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Frith, C. and D. Frith (2020). Bronze Parotia (Parotia berlepschi), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.carpar3.01
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