Vogelkop Lophorina
Lophorina superba
A fairly large bird of mid-montane forest. Male, mainly black plumage with 2 remarkable erectile fans which are lifted up over the head during its display. Metallic, blue-green, trapezium-shaped breast shield and patches above the eyes. Female has a dark brown back, barred underparts and a black head. Adult male is unmistakeable, but female is distinguished from Western Parotia female by its smaller size and Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise female by its larger size and black bill. The male’s yellow-green mouth interior is visible while it gives its piercing nasal screech.
Taxonomy
Historical sources generally recorded the crescent-caped lophorina as being a subspecies of the superb bird-of-paradise (Lophorina superba niedda); however, in 2017, the crescent-caped lophorina was formally treated as a separate species. There are two known subspecies: L. n. niedda, found on the Wadammen Peninsula; and L. n. inopinata, found on the Doberai Peninsula. There are also several differences in courtship behavior, as well as their geographic isolation from the rest of the population.This classification is disputed, however; the subspecies inopinata comprises the taxon formerly known as L. superba superba, but given a new name, while other taxonomists argue that regardless of the evidence, names should not be reassigned from one recognized taxon to another after over 200 years of consistent application.
- Scientific name
- Lophorina superba
- Authority
- Mayr, 1930
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Paradisaeidae
- Genus
- Lophorina
Range and habitat
The crescent-caped lophorina is found in the mountains of Bird's Head Peninsula, in Western New Guinea, Indonesia. It is typically found at heights of 1,200–2,000 m (3,900–6,600 ft).
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
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