Justification This species's narrow elevational preference matches all-too-perfectly that of swidden gardeners, and with burgeoning human populations this bird will be extirpated from the more populous intermontane valleys. However, there are many rugged and inaccesable intermontane forests which still supoort this species, and it is therefore classified as Vulnerable.

Family/Sub-family Paradisaeidae

Species name author (Finsch, 1885)

Taxonomic source(s) Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)

Identification 30 cm. Dark bird-of-paradise with stout, ivory bill, broken white eye-ring and blue wings, back and tail. Male is otherwise black with fine, blue tail plumes and two long streamers. Female has chestnut underparts. Similar spp. Both the head pattern and the blue upperparts are unique. Other congeners are larger, slimmer and longer-tailed. Voice Displaying males give a slowly cadenced series of notes wahr..wahr.. and a metallic humming when inverted, also croaking and growling contact calls. Hints Can be seen in fruiting trees but to see males in their famous inverted display, seek local guides.

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

2,500-9,999

decreasing

21,900 km²

Yes

Range & population Paradisaea rudolphi occurs in the eastern Central Ranges of Papua New Guinea, from Mt Sisa south of Tari to the Owen Stanley range. It is patchily distributed and absent in many areas, but nowhere common^2,4. Advertising males were spaced at about every 200 m along one suitable forest ridge, and 400 m along another, and three radio-tagged birds had home ranges of 5, 17 and 33 ha over c.50 days⁶. At another study site, males were less dense, occupying up to 100 ha, perhaps owing to the more patchy forest or the higher hunting pressure at this site⁷.

Ecology: It is restricted to lower montane forest, from 1,400-1,800 m, but occasionally from 1,100-2,000 m, especially female-plumaged birds. Although displaying males usually use patches of primary forest, it may be able to survive in old secondary forest or fragmented primary forest and is often seen in forest edge and nearby disturbed areas. However, it may be excluded from more degraded habitats as a result of hunting of males and competition with the more adaptable Raggiana Bird-of-paradise P. raggiana. It is largely a canopy species feeding mainly on fruit^3,4,5.

Threats The major threat is habitat loss combined with hunting for its pectoral and tail feathers^1,3,4. Remaining forest is under pressure for clearance for agriculture by the increasing human population. It is poorly tolerant of secondary forest, both caused by shifting agriculture and logging, unless mixed with fragments of primary forest. However, there are still significant areas of its range which are inaccessible and largely uninhabited^3,4.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix II and protected by law in Papua New Guinea.

Conservation measures proposed Survey western boundary of range. Survey historical sites in north and east of range. Estimate population densities and sizes at known sites. Investigate tolerance of secondary forest for both foraging and breeding. Research rates of forest loss in preferred altitudinal range. Monitor numbers at most accessible sites such as Ambua Lodge. Monitor trade prices and quantities. Investigate hunting levels and attitudes to control amongst hunters. Create large, locally-managed forest reserves with an enforced hunting ban. Run awareness and education programmes for landowners. Enforce existing legislation. Utilise its well-known image as a flagship species for ecotourism and conservation ventures.

References 1. Beehler (1985). 2. K. D. Bishop in litt. (2000). 3. Coates (1990). 4. Frith and Beehler (1998). 4. T. Leary in litt. (2000). 5. Mack (1992). 6. Pruett-Jones and Pruett-Jones (1988). 7. Whiteside (1998).

Text account compilers Guy Dutson (Birds Australia), Guy Dutson (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International), Andrew O'Brien (BirdLife International), Alison Stattersfield (BirdLife International)

Contributors B. M. Beehler (Conservation International), K. David Bishop (VENT Bird Tours), T. Leary

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Simon Mahood (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Paradisaea rudolphi. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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