Who does not know the bird of paradise a.k.a Cendrawasih Bird. One of the highlights of the region of Papua is this bird since it is so stunning. However, it’s possible that few people are aware of these fascinating details about this colorful and alluring bird.
This Is The Facts About Cendrawasih Bird
Here are 7 interesting facts about birds of paradise, which are summarized from various sources.
1. What is a Bird of Paradise?
Birds of paradise are members of the family Paradisaeidae and of the order Passeriformes. This bird has a variety of sizes depending on the species. Like the King bird of paradise species which has a size of 15 cm to the Black Sicklebill species which measures 110 cm.This bird consists of 14 genera and 43 species. The most famous type of Cendrawasih is the Great Yellow Cendrawasih or Paradisaea apoda which comes from the Paradisaea genus. The main characteristic of this bird is its bright and eye-catching plumage colors such as yellow, green, red, and blue.
2. Cendrawasih Bird Become a Trading Commodity
So beautiful, this bird was named Birds of Paradise or Birds of Paradise by the British who previously did not believe in the existence of these birds. Even Cendrawasih had become a gift for kings in 1522 after the Europeans recognized its existence.Not only that, its beautiful fur had become a trading commodity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries because it became a trend to decorate hats by women in Europe.
3. Cendrawasih Bird Habitat
This bird can only be found in eastern Indonesia such as islands in the Torres Strait and Papua, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Australia. Of the 41 species of Cendrawasih in Indonesia, 37 of them live in Papua. Its natural habitat is in dense forests in the lowlands. Cendrawasih is usually named according to its dominant color, such as the Little Yellow Cendrawasih, the Big Yellow Cendrawasih, and the Red Cendrawasih.
4. Popular in the West for Television Programs
Cendrawasih first became popular in the West in 1996. This popularity is due to a television program hosted by broadcaster and nature lover David Attenborough.At that time, Attenborough took footage of Cendrawasih’s life while he was on a trip in Papua New Guinea. In the video, he shows the feeding and mating habits, as well as the attributes of certain Cendrawasih species.
5. Have a Unique Marriage Ritual
Male Cendrawasih have brightly colored feathers and also dance rituals that are used to attract the attention of female Cendrawasih. The male Cendrawasih dance is spectacular because it displays the flexibility of their feathers and body shape which further emphasizes the beauty of their feather color. Male Cendrawasih is also always serious in preparing this dance ritual. They are even seen cleaning their beaks and the environment around their nests to become the stage for their dance rituals.
6. Including Protected Animals
Because of its beauty, Cendrawasih Bird became the target of poaching. Not to mention deforestation to turn forest land into gardens which certainly threatens their habitat.This makes Cendrawasih one of the animals protected by the government. The Indonesian government has protected Cendrawasih through Law no. 5 of 1990 and PP No. 7 of 1999.
7. You can find in the wild
Even though it is a protected animal, you can still enjoy the beauty of the Cendrawasih bird in the wild. There are several tourist destinations in Papua, such as in the Mamberamo Foja, Merauke, Wamena and Jaya Wijaya areas where you can directly observe the Cendrawasih.
Final Thought
That’s 7 Beautiful Facts about the Cendrawasih Bird. If you want to observe Cendrawasih, do not use perfume or take a shower before bird watching because Cendrawasih is a bird with a sensitive sense of smell. In addition, Cendrawasih’s sense of hearing is also sharp so don’t make noises when you are in its territory. You are also recommended to hide behind a tree and wear dark clothes so that you are not seen by the Cendrawasih.
