Goldie's Bird-of-Paradise
Paradisaea decora
A large bird of foothill forests on the southeast islands. Both sexes have a yellow head and yellow eye. Male has a gray chest and red plumes which he raises over his back during the display, in which he flaps his yellow wings and hops. Females have yellow upperparts, barred underparts and a black face. Doesn’t overlap with any other similar birds-of-paradise. Male gives a typical, repeated, nasal squawk.
Identification
Goldie's bird-of-paradise is large, approximately 33 cm long, and olive-brown. The male has a yellow and dark green plumage with a lavender grey breast, yellow iris and grey colored bill, mouth and feet. It is adorned with large crimson ornamental flank plumes and two long tail wires. The male is distinguished from other Paradisaea species by its lavender grey breast plumage. Unadorned female has an olive-brown plumage with cinnamon-brown below.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Paradisaea decora
- Authority
- Salvin & Godman, 1883
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Paradisaeidae
- Genus
- Paradisaea
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Other Birds
Philippine Spinetail
Mearnsia picina
A little-known medium-sized, short-tailed swift found over forest, usually at higher elevations. Mainly black with obvious white throat and underwing patches. Wing shape is unusual, with a “cut-out” next to the body and pointed wing tips curved backward. Tail square, with spines that are difficult to see. Distinguished from other swifts in its range by the white marks under the wings. Voice unknown.
Phoenix Petrel
Pterodroma alba
A long-winged petrel, predominantly dark with a gleaming white belly. Throat patch often shows pale speckling, and birds sometimes appear distinctly pale-throated. Key identification feature is the prominent pale bar at the leading edge of the dark underwing between the elbow and body. Similar in pattern to Tahiti Petrel, but much smaller-billed and sometimes shows a pale throat. Usually flies with wings bent at the elbow, unlike the remarkably straight-winged Tahiti Petrel. Silent at sea.
Bahama Nuthatch
Sitta insularis
Endemic to Grand Bahama Island, where it is the only nuthatch, though now extremely rare and possibly extinct. Active in crowns of pines and hard to see clearly. Small with a long, pointed bill. Also look for brown cap, gray upperparts, and creamy-whitish underparts. Listen for short sputtering trills and high-pitched squeaks.
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