The Display of the Blue Bird of Paradise



151



The plate of Verreaux’s Starling reminds me that my young male is

only now (September) just showing adult plumage, and has commenced

to quarrel with an adult male.



THE DISPLAY OF THE BLUE BIRD OF

PARADISE


In the Bulletin of the Zoological Society of New York for September,

1921, Mr. Lee S. Crandall gives an interesting account of the display

of Parctdisorhis rudolfi, a pair of which species were acquired in the

autumn of 1920. The male commenced to moult almost simultaneously

with his arrival and when he had renewed his body feathers the pair

were placed in a cage near the other Birds of Paradise. All went well

for a few days, when suddenly the male attacked his mate, and only

her prompt removal saved her life.


“ The comparatively short side-plumes of the male had now reached

their full length, and aj^peared as brilliant blue beneath and delicate

mauve above. The two central tail feathers or £ wires ’ had grown

to a length of a foot or more, each bearing on its tip a spatula of

brilliant blue.


“ One morning a keeper who was working nearby noticed the male

bird was hanging upside-down from his perch, and otherwise con¬

ducting himself strangely. He promptly reported that the bird was in

convulsions, and advocated its immediate removal to the hospital for

treatment. But more deliberate observation showed that while the

bird’s antics might properly be described as a convulsion, it evidently

was not of the sort that calls for medical aid. He was in full display,

such as perhaps had never before been seen by civilized man. The

display of this species is entirely different to that of the Paradisea

group, for instead of remaining in an active, upright, position, he

grasps his perch firmly with his powerful feet, and with legs extended

to the utmost, hangs head downward. During the entire display of

several minutes the position of the feet is never changed, and the firm

grip never is relaxed


“ Viewed from the front the plumes, inconspicuous and rather

disaqtpointing when at rest, form a brilliant inverted triangle, with the



