Indonesia is very rich in diversity of flora and fauna. Almost all regions in Indonesia have unique flora and fauna that can be used as icons or regional characteristics.The same is true of the Papua area, which offers some of the most distinctive and lovely Indonesian wildlife. The Blue Bird of Paradise a.ka Blue Cendrawasih. Do you want to discover what makes this bird of paradise species unique from others? Let’s learn more!
Origin and Habitat
The blue bird of paradise was originally discovered by Carl Hunstein on a trip in 1884. This bird is found in the mountainous forest area of Papua New Guinea to the east and southeast. The scientific name of this blue bird of paradise, Paradisaea rudolphi, was taken to commemorate the crown prince of Austria, Rudolf Von Osterreich-Ungarn. Like most other types of birds of paradise, this fauna can be easily found in eastern Indonesia, especially Papua. This blue bird of paradise from Papua usually consumes food in the form of fruits to various types of insects.
Character of Blue Cendrawasih
The blue Cendrawasih has a medium size and body length of up to 30 cm. Morphologically, the characteristics of this blue bird of paradise include having a dominant body color of black and blue, the color of the beak tends to be bluish white, has gray legs, has 2 white semi-circles around its eyes, and brown irises. old, and has distinctive bright blue wings.The differences in morphology or physical appearance between male and female blue paradise birds are :
Male blue bird of paradise: Has tassels of decorative feathers on the chest side, purplish blue (bottom view) and reddish brown (top view), Has 2 long black ropes with a blue round tip on the tail, Has a black oval circle (oblong) with a red border on the chest
Female blue bird of paradise: Has a relatively smaller size than the male, Has no decorative feathers The lower part of the body looks reddish brown
Blue Cendrawasih Reproduction
The habitat of this Cendrawasih also tends to be special, where it will only be found in mountainous areas. As for this blue bird of paradise, it will usually be found in areas with an altitude of about 1,400 meters to 1,800 meters, especially in the border areas of Papua. Birds with a characteristic blue collar are included in the polygamous fauna group of species that reproduce by laying eggs. It is said to be a polygamous group of species because of the habits of this type of bird when breeding, where male birds tend to be unfaithful and will leave their female birds after mating.
When trying to attract the opposite sex, the male blue bird of paradise will perform a kind of dance individually by showing off its beautiful decorative feathers. One of the dance moves performed by the males that become distinctive is when the male hangs his body down, opening his beautiful feathers while chirping sweetly as he tries to lure the female.
Status of Conservation/Preservation
The continued reduction of good mountain forest habitat in nature certainly has an impact on the sustainability or existence of the blue Cendrawasih in the world. Based on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List, this blue bird of paradise from Papua has been registered in the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Appendix and is protected as an endangered species by law in Papua New Guinea. Apart from natural factors, the existence of the blue bird of paradise is also threatened because of the ongoing illegal hunting activities carried out by local communities, the Dutch colonial government, and fashion entrepreneurs from Canada, Europe and the United States.
How could that be? Of course this is due to the beauty of the feathers possessed by this blue bird of paradise. These beautiful feathers are often used as clothing and accessories, as well as being the traditional clothing of the Papuan people to being the raw material for making hats for women of aristocratic blood in Europe.
Wrapping Up
That’s a fact about the blue Cendrawasih. Well, now we know that there is a beautiful bird of paradise from Papua which is unique with its blue feathers. Let’s continue to recognize the flora and fauna in Indonesia so that we are increasingly aware of the importance of preserving them by understanding and treating them well.
