Yes, birds of paradise can fly. Birds of paradise are a family of birds found in New Guinea and surrounding islands that are known for their bright, colorful plumage and elaborate courtship displays. Despite their bright, flashy feathers, birds of paradise are capable of flight. Their ability to fly allows them to move between different habitats, find food, and escape predators. However, different species have different flight capabilities based on the shape and size of their wings.
Wing Shape and Flight Capabilities
The shape and size of a bird of paradise’s wings determines how well it can fly. Species with long, broad wings are able to soar and glide well over longer distances. For example, the cape bird of paradise has wide wings suited for gliding between trees. Species with short, rounded wings are better suited for short bursts of fast, maneuverable flight through dense forest vegetation. The King of Saxony bird of paradise has short wings that allow it to quickly dart between branches.
Some birds of paradise, like the ribbons-tailed astrapia, have unusually long tail feathers in addition to their colorful plumage. These long tail feathers can make takeoffs and landings more difficult. However, once in flight, the tails streamline behind the birds and do not hinder their ability to fly effectively. Overall, all birds of paradise are capable fliers, with wing shapes adapted to their specific habitat and needs.
Flight Feather Structure
The flight feathers of birds of paradise are specifically structured to provide lift and propulsion during flight. The main flight feathers are the stiff, asymmetrical feathers on a bird’s wings and tail called remiges and rectrices. The vanes on one side of these feathers have more grooves and barbules that keep the vane stiff, while the other side has fewer grooves and barbules, allowing more flexibility and curvature when flapping the wings. This asymmetric structure maximizes air resistance and lift generation.
The flight feathers connect to the bird’s body via sturdy, elongated quill feathers. These quill feathers attach to the bird’s “hand” and arm bones, which have joints that allow the wing to flex and extend. Different connections and lever points between bones allow the wing to move in the complex motions needed for takeoff, flapping flight, gliding, turning, and landing. The structure of the flight feathers and wings provide birds of paradise the right balance of lightness, flexibility, and strength for flying through the forests of New Guinea.
Feeding Flight
Birds of paradise use flight to access food sources in their treetop habitat. Their ability to fly allows them to forage across a wide territory to find fruit and arthropods. Different species have different characteristic flight patterns and distances when seeking food.
Frequent, Short Flights
Some birds of paradise, like Wilson’s bird of paradise, make frequent short flights while feeding. They may rapidly fly up or down between branches gathering small berries and insects from the trees. These agile, maneuverable flights allow them to efficiently exploit small, dispersed food resources. Other species like the King bird of paradise sally out from perches to snatch insects from the air in short bursts of flight. Their short wings provide the powerful, acrobatic flight needed for these frequent food forays.
Longer Gliding Flights
Larger birds of paradise like the raggiana bird of paradise use longer gliding flights between fruiting trees. Their broad wings allow them to efficiently soar and glide between trees up to 100-200 meters apart. This helps them find and reach productive fruiting trees scattered at lower densities than small berries and arthropods. The ability to cover more distance with gliding flight gives them access to fruit dispersed across a wider area.
Some smaller birds of paradise also make longer glides on occasion to reach isolated fruit trees. For example, the red bird of paradise may glide up to 60 meters between trees. So even species that normally use quite short flights have the ability to fly further when needed to take advantage of an abundant fruit source.
Following Food Sources
Birds of paradise also use flight to move between areas as food becomes more plentiful. For example, they may track flowering and fruiting cycles, moving from one area to another when food is peaking. The availability of fruit and arthropod prey can fluctuate substantially in their forest habitat. Being able to fly in search of the most abundant food sources helps birds of paradise meet their high energy needs, especially during molting and breeding seasons.
Display Flights
Brightly colored, singing males perform elaborate courtship flights to attract mates. These types of display flights demonstrate a male bird of paradise’s flying skills, health, and vitality to watching females. Performing aerobatic maneuvers requires athleticism and coordination. The ability to fly well communicates good genes and fitness to potential mates. Some examples of courtship flights include:
Circling Flights
Some birds, like Wilson’s bird of paradise, fly in vertical circles above the forest canopy while calling. The male may descend in tight circles around a watching female. Other species perform horizontal circling flights back and forth through a cleared display arena on the forest floor. These types of circular flights showcase the male’s ability to precisely control flight speed and direction.
Undulating and Hovering Flights
The magnificent bird of paradise and king bird of paradise perform elaborate undulating or hovering flights that demonstrate incredible strength and agility. The male flies in an exaggerated up and down wave pattern, or rapidly flaps his wings to hover in place above the female. These feats require powerful wing muscles and great stamina.
Plunging Flights
Some species like the twelve-wired bird of paradise plummet headfirst toward the ground before pulling up rapidly, showing off fast reflexes and aerial agility. Other birds may drop from the canopy and then swoop back up. These dives and swoops exhibit precision maneuvering ability. The plunging also creates loud wing sounds and drafts of air to get female attention.
Chasing Flights
Males may intensely chase females in acrobatic pursuit flights low through the forest understory vegetation. This demonstrates the male’s speed, dexterity, and persistence. The lawes’s parotia performs an elaborate slow flight swaying side to side to entice females to engage in a chase. Even species that don’t perform elaborate in-flight displays may chase females from perch to perch showing their desire to mate.
Escape Flights
Birds of paradise use their flight abilities to escape predators and other threats in their rainforest ecosystem. Their ability to take off rapidly and maneuver through dense vegetation helps them evade predation. Some examples include:
Fleeing from Predators
Birds like the raggiana bird of paradise can burst into fast powered flight to escape from predators like birds of prey, snakes, and treetop carnivores. Maneuvering through the rainforest allows them to duck into dense tangles of vines and branches. Their agility helps them evade predators that hunt by ambush from a perch rather than high speed pursuit. Even larger, slower species can still flee to safety by dropping from the canopy down to lower levels of the forest.
Evading Humans
Unfortunately, many birds of paradise need to escape from humans encroaching on their habitat. Their flight allows them to flee logging, fires, land clearing, and hunting pressures. However, the destruction of primary rainforest leaves them with fewer places to hide. Their ability to fly between small remaining forest fragments helps them adapt to some degree of habitat modification. But extensive deforestation and fragmentation can lead to population decline.
Avoiding Aggression
Within their social groups, subordinate birds may use flight to avoid aggression from more dominant individuals. Younger males that are poor competitors may be chased from prime display territories and feeding areas. Being able to rapidly get out of harm’s way reduces injury and stress. Even dominant birds may take flight to avoid conflicts, conserving time and energy for other activities like courtship.
Migratory Flights
A few birds of paradise species, like the standardwing and superb bird of paradise, migrate by flight seasonally. However, most bird of paradise species are non-migratory. The migrations of standardwings cover substantial distances of 500-1000 km between breeding habitat and wintering grounds. Their ability to make these long journeys by flight allows them to take advantage of increased food availability in different areas during different times of year.
Navigation
Migrating standardwings rely on their ability to orient themselves over long distances. They likely use a combination of the sun, stars, and magnetic fields to navigate between nesting and non-breeding habitat. Their broad wings allow them to efficiently fly long distances over oceans and forests between scattered islands.
Resting and Refueling
The standardwing stops to rest and feed during migration, breaking up the trip into multiple legs. They refuel on fruits like figs to replenish energy between bouts of flight. Other migratory bird of paradise species likely employ similar strategies to consume enough calories for the metabolic demands of migration.
Returning to Breeding Areas
Every year, standardwings make the impressive journey back to traditional breeding grounds in time for courtship and nesting. Their navigational abilities and flight allow them to return hundreds of kilometers back to the same display sites and nesting areas year after year to reproduce. The demands of migration have selected for their physical ability to fly these demanding distances.
Flight Adaptations
Birds of paradise have many anatomical and physiological adaptations that allow them to fly effectively through the dense New Guinea rainforest:
Lightweight Skeleton
Birds have lightweight, fused bones that provide strength without excessive weight. Their skeleton makes up only around 10% of their body weight. Pneumatic bones filled with air sacs help minimize weight while retaining rigidity.
Powerful Flight Muscles
Birds of paradise have large pectoral muscles that power wing flapping. These muscles may make up 15-25% of their total body mass. The muscles are rich in blood vessels and myoglobin which deliver oxygen to sustain aerobic energy production.
Efficient Respiration
A system of air sacs enables extremely efficient oxygen circulation for meeting the metabolic demands of flight. Unidirectional airflow maintains high oxygen partial pressures. Birds also have more blood cells to transport oxygen than mammals.
Energy Stores
Birds of paradise have fat stores that provide energy for flight. Long distance migrants like the standardwing build up ample fat reserves for migration. Fat is a concentrated energy source.
Dense Feathers
The feathers of birds of paradise have dense barbules, barbicels, and hooked barbules that create a smooth feather surface. This reduces drag and improves lift generation. Melanin pigments strengthen feathers and prevent wear.
Excellent Vision
Sharp vision aids birds of paradise in navigating through dense habitat. They have excellent color vision and visual acuity to spot food items while flying. Their wide visual field and ability to rapidly adjust focus helps avoid collisions in cluttered environments.
Threats to Flight Ability
Some natural factors and human activities can negatively impact the flight capabilities of birds of paradise:
Injury and Illness
Wing injuries from collisions or predator attacks can impede flight. Damaged flight feathers or joints may lead to an inability to fly until molting and regrowth occur. Diseases that affect muscle efficiency, respiration, or cause excessive weight loss also reduce flight performance.
Habitat Loss
Deforestation destroys the habitat birds of paradise need for foraging, roosting, and display sites. Fragmentation separates critical resources needed for successful breeding. This can reduce food intake needed to power energetically expensive activities like flight.
Overhunting
Hunting for the plume trade has decimated some birds of paradise populations. Even occasional harvesting for traditional cultural use or food can be unsustainable if combined with habitat loss. Lower population densities mean fewer potential mates, reducing fitness incentives for flight displays.
Climate Change
Climate change may alter temperature, precipitation, and storm severity in the tropical forests inhabited by birds of paradise. More extreme weather could detrimentally impact flight feather growth and cause changes in food availability.
Invasive Species
Introduced predators like cats and rats predate on birds of paradise, their eggs, and chicks. Pigs degrade forest understory habitat. Non-native diseases can also emerge and spread. These invasive threats contribute to population declines.
Conclusion
Despite being beautifully adorned with decorative plumes, birds of paradise can and do fly. Their ability to fly is essential for finding food, escaping predators, mating, migrating, and dispersing to new habitat. Different species have evolved wing structures specialized for either rapid, acrobatic flight or more soaring, gliding flight. Though ostentatious when performing courtship displays, birds of paradise rely on their efficient, practical flight capabilities for carrying out daily life activities. Ensuring healthy, extensive rainforest habitat remains for these birds is key to preserving their existence and impressive skills of flight.
