Birds of Paradise: Discovering Arfak Parotia in West Papua

Birds of Paradise: Discovering Arfak Parotia in West Papua

I first encountered the Arfak Parotia or Western Parotia in the highland of Arfak mountain in West Papua. There are two types of hides in Arfak for the Western Parotia , mating hide and feeding hide. The mating hide is where they mate, and the feeding hide is where they feed.

The bird did not show up in the mating hide. The next day, we went to the feeding hide. We saw male and female feeding. Luckily, one male Western Parotia was practicing its mating dance ritual.

• Arfak Parotia with a beautiful display of iridescent breast- patch.
• Six head-wires with paddle ends
• Western Parotia or Arfak Parotia is the biggest show in Arfak Mountain. The male will dance to attract the female. Here is a “ballerina dance”. The dance is full of delicate steps and head waggles.
• The male will dance to attract the female. 
• Here is a “ballerina dance”. The dance is full of delicate steps and head-waggles
• The Bronze and Western partorias are in West Papua from 1000-2000 m above sea level.

Birds of Paradise: Discovering Arfak Parotia in West Papua. There are six species of Parotia| Genus Parotia, Birds of Paradise

Six species of Parotia | Genus Parotia | Birds of Paradise

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1. Carlola’s Parotia
2. Bronze *Parotia
3. Western/ Arfak* Parotia
4. Wahnes’s Parotia
5. Lawes’s Parotia
6. Eastern Parotia

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Reference

All the Birds of the World By Josep del Hoyo
Birds of Paradise, Tim Laman & Edwin Scholes