These birds of paradise are monogamous and medium-sized, having an overall black to deep brown plumage. The iris and beak are red and black, respectively, and the top of the head has a glazed finish. There is a white patch on the inner parts of the wings and the upper plumage has a dark blue sparkle which is apparent under light. Compared to the head, the bosom and belly areas are lighter.
It’s possible this afternoon to go on another bird walk near the village of Waibon. We’ll depart this evening for the village of Sawingkrai on the south side of Gam Island. The maximum number of years for which this bird lives is approximately eight years. There have been some reports of them living extended lives, but on average the paradise crow has a five-year life expectancy. Statistics have been unable to assess the actual population of this species and its nominate subspecies.
In the afternoon we can enjoy additional bird watching in the area or some fantastic snorkeling in Weda Bay. For this reason, the IUCN Red List categorizes the paradise crow as a species of Least Concern. It is classified under Appendix II of CITES which insinuates that this species is not on the verge of extinction yet, but perhaps will be at risk in a few years unless trade and habitat destruction are reduced. Night-time forays should prove rewarding, with the surrounding grasslands and secondary forest home to some great nocturnal endemics; Ochre-bellied Boobook, Sulawesi Scops Owl, Minahasa and Sulawesi Masked Owl and Sulawesi Nightjar among them.
However, based on the extent of breeding and their resident occurrence, it can be inferred that their population is stable at the moment. Previously, the Obi paradise-crow was treated as a subspecies of the Halmahera paradise-crow. However, due to its distinctiveness and potential for separation, it was split from L. Pyrrhopterus in 2016, with the International Ornithological Congress also following through in 2021. Welcome to BirdForum, the internet’s largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world.
After lunch, we will check out of the Weda Resort and join our beautiful boat, the Katharina. Our tour leaders will give a safety briefing and, if time allows, we can go for another wonderful snorkel in Weda Bay. In the afternoon we will start the long overnight crossing east to Pulau Gebe, (pulau is the Indonesian word for ‘island’). The scientific name Lycocorax pyrrhopterus is a combination of the Greek terms ‘lycos’, which was a name for a jackdaw, ‘corax’ meaning ‘raven’, and ‘pyrrhopterus’, which means ‘red-winged’. Owing to its shimmery appearance, the bird is also known as the silky crow.
Gray tones can be found on the mantle and rump. The white patch on the inner part of the wings makes the identification of this species amidst its nominate subspecies pretty easy. The female is slightly smaller than the male. One of the few monogamous birds-of-paradise, this paradise-crow is endemic to lowland forests of Northern Maluku in Indonesia. The diet consists mainly of fruits and arthropods.
Lycocorax is derived from the Greek lycos, a wolf, and korax, a raven. Pyrrhopterus means red-winged, from the Greek pyrrhos, a flame or the colour red, and pteros, wing. We fly back to Manado on Sulawesi this morning and upon arrival we will transfer to the nearby Tangkoko-Dua Saudara National Park in time to enjoy our first birding in the area in the afternoon.
In the evening there will be the option to drive further along the coast to visit the communal breeding grounds of the Moluccan Scrubfowl. With some luck we might hope to encounter one or more of these rare birds as they come down from the forests to lay their single egg on the beach. A typical paradise crow habitat is found in lowland regions. This bird also tends to inhabit montane forests and deep evergreen woods. They are often found setting their homes amidst shrubs and bushes in agricultural lands.
Decorative print illustrating the Blood’s Bird of Paradise and the Lesser Bird of Paradise. This authentic print originates from ‘Birds of Paradise and Bower Birds’ by Tom Iredale. The breeding season is approximately December to June. The head is slightly glossy black-brown and the upper parts are lighter than the head. The upper plumage shines slightly, with a blue-gray shimmer that is most pronounced on the coat, with cinnamon-brown wings.
Unfortunately Maleo eggs suffer from high predation, predominately by humans, but it is hoped that on-going conservation work should help protect the birds at this site. The more open habitat here is ideal for Sulawesi Roller and White-necked and Short-crested Myna while grassy habitats throughout the area might produce the skulking Sulawesi Water-hen. Starting again before dawn, we can trek from the village of Sapokoren in search of the fabulous Wilson’s Bird of Paradise. Hopefully, we’ll be rewarded with views of its elaborate mating display on the forest floor.
The diet consists mainly of fruits and some arthropods. Also in fairl open agricultural land with some trees and scrub. Sexes are similar but the female is slightly smaller than the male.
Department of Agriculture field libraries. In fiscal year NAL delivered more than 100 million direct customer service transactions. Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our rook facts and vesper sparrow facts pages. This medium-sized silky crow belongs to the Aves class of animals.
How big is a paradise crow?
Upon arrival we will drive south-west to the town of Kotamobagu, our base for exploration for the next four nights. Night in Kotamobagu at the Patra Jasa Hotel. We shall base ourselves in the lowlands, making daily forays to the higher reaches of the park for some of the really special endemics of Sulawesi. Early this morning, we’ll go birding in the Salawati Forest, home of the King Bird of Paradise, Western Crowned Pigeon, and rarely seen Northern Cassowary.
The Lycocorax pyrrhopterus bird is also known as the golden crow due to its shimmery feathers and it was first studied by the French ornithologist, Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1850. They are often confused with their subspecies, but one distinct feature which helps in their identification is the white patch on their inner wings which is only visible in flight. This bird is categorized as a Least Concern species and it is common throughout its range.
The island of Gebe is situated halfway between Northern Raja Ampat and Halmahera, and birds can therefore be found from both regions. In the morning we will trek from the village of Umera to try to spot some of these birds. We may see imperial pigeons, fruit-doves, cuckoos, kingfishers, parrots and maybe we will see the Glossy-mantled Manucode. In the afternoon we can explore some of the tiny islands nearby for snorkeling and water sports. Overnight we will cruise south to Pulau Kofiau.
The islands of Wallacea were surveyed most intensely by field ornithologists in the nineteenth century, and again in the 1990s. However, the status and habitat use of bird species on many islands remains unknown. This study examined birds in several natural and disturbed habitats on Lembata Island, Indonesia. A total of 78 bird species were recorded including six endemic to the Lesser Sundas, an additional three Wallacean endemics and a total of 27 resident forest species. Including published records, 91 bird species have been recorded for Lembata. Extrapolation from the cumulative number of new species in the 45 samples gave an expected Total Bird Richness of 103.4 species.
The wonderful park of Tangkoko with its forest rising from coastal to submontane, supports a large range of the regionÍs endemic birds. The park boasts the highest density of the brilliant Knobbed Hornbill on Sulawesi and the uncommon Sulawesi Hornbill also occurs, sometimes following troops of Sulawesi Crested Macaque, which patrol the forest likeæminiature Gorillas! Close attention to the forest understory could produce skulkers such as the gorgeous Red-backed Thrush, Red-bellied Pittas, Tabon Scrubfowl and StephanÍs Dove.
- However, the status and habitat use of bird species on many islands remains unknown.
- A paradise crow call is reminiscent of a dog’s bark.
- With some luck we might hope to encounter one or more of these rare birds as they come down from the forests to lay their single egg on the beach.
Midday, we cross over to the village of of Sapokren on nearby Waigeo Island. This afternoon, we have a second chance to see the Red Bird of Paradise dancing in the treetops. You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our free printable paradise crow coloring pages. All birds of paradise are said to evolve from a single crow-like bird from the 16th century. The exact speed at which these birds travel is unknown. Their light paradise crow feathers may contribute to their rapid wingbeats.
Species names in all available languages
Afternoon visit to the nearby island of Misokon, home to additional birdlife. At dusk, we’ll watch in awe as thousands of flying foxes cross from the mainland to Waigeo Island. In the evening we will have our farewell party with the crew of the Katharina and overnight we will cruise to our final destination, the harbor of Sorong.
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The Paradise Crow is tolerant of mangroves, swamp, and montane areas and human disturbance to forest habitat while the Standardwing is less so. Both species are presently widespread and common on Halmahera and cannot be considered immediately endangered there, but populations on smaller Moluccan islands require study and regular monitoring. In the afternoon, following a short flight north to Palu in central Sulawesi, we head to one of IndonesiaÍs greatest national parks Lore Lindu for a four night stay in Wuasa village. This paradise crow is monogamous and oviparous, hence they procreate through spawning. The breeding seasons begin approximately in December and lasts until June, with an average of one egg per clutch. A paradise crow egg is either gray-white or pale rose in color, with inconsistent blotches.
Flame-browed Myna are fairly common and Grosbeak Myna can often be found in good numbers in open country where they nest in large colonies. Also in open country we will scan for Sulawesi Swiftlet in the valley bottoms, and Sulawesi Serpent Eagle or Sulawesi Hawk Eagle soaring overhead. The elusive Small Sparrowhawk is a possibility while Vinous-breasted Sparrowhawk is also at lower altitudes and Spot-tailed Goshawk often draws attention with its far-carrying calls.
Sombre Kingfisher and Common Paradise Kingfishers usually stayed concealed within the forest whereas scanning open perches at the forest edge might find Blue-and-white Kingfisher or even the ultra-rare Azure Dollarbird. International arrivals into Makassar , from where we travel into the mountains for an overnight stay in Malino. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. All structured data from the file namespace is available under the Creative Commons CC0 License; all unstructured text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy. This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work.
This entry was posted in Birding, Conservation, Guided tours, Travelling and tagged birding, Birding tours, birds, conservation, eco-tourism, guided tours, Halmahera, Indonesia, Lycocorax pyrrhopterus, Mehd Halaouate, Paradise Crow by Lena. The nominate form is a forest dweller, also found in gardens and forest edges. It prefers the taller trees of the forest interior and is not typically seen in the more open agricultural areas. The diet of the paradise-crow is composed mainly by fruit, with some supplement from arthropods, both of which are foraged mainly from dense canopy and middle foliage. The Halmahera paradise-crow is occurs on the Northern Maluku islands of Halmahera, Bacan , Kasiruta, Morotai and Rau. There are two subspecies, which occur in the following regions of Maluku.
The paradise crow diet consists mainly of fruits and arthropods. It is also common for them to consume insects like snails, spiders, beetles, grasshoppers, and caterpillars in a considerable amount, hence they can be described as insectivorous. As their diet consists mainly of fruits they are also referred to as frugivorous. They are hunted by snakes, hawks, and owls. The paradise-crow is approximately 34 cm long with all-dark, soft and silky plumage.
The geographical distribution of this species is limited. Paradise crows are indigenous to Indonesia’s montane forests on the islands of Maluku Utara. The distribution of their population is relatively high in the lowland of Rau, Kasiruta, Bacan, and Morotai and is quite common in Halmahera.
Breeding season from December to early June. It is one of the few monogamous birds-of-paradise. The nest is an open bowl-shaped structure made of curled vine stems, tendrils, dead leaves and/or moss. It’s placed m above the ground in a tree fork. Once again night birding can be productive and we have a chance of encountering Sulawesi Scops Owl, Sulawesi Masked Owl and both Speckled and Ochre-bellied Boobooks. Today is predominantly a travel day as we fly first to Makassar before continuing to Manado on the Minahasa peninsula of north Sulawesi.
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