Drepanornis
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Yellow-tailed paradise hop ( Drepanornis albertisi ) |
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| Drepanornis | ||||||||||||
| PL Sclater , 1873 |
Drepanornis is a genus from the family of the birds of paradise (Paradisaeidae) and includes only two species . Both species occur exclusively in New Guinea . It is closely related to the genus Epimachus .
In the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN , the brown-tailed paradise hop is listed as potentially endangered ( near threatened ). The yellowtail paradise hop , on the other hand, is not considered endangered ( least concern ). Both species are listed in Appendix II of the Washington Convention on the Protection of Species .
features
The two species of the genus are medium-sized forest dwellers with a medium-long, non-tiered tail plumage and a narrow, strongly curved beak that is about twice as long as the skull. A sexual dimorphism is present, but not very pronounced. Both species are partially feathered in the face. They differ from the two closely related Epimachus species by the dark iris of both sexes and the different head plumage. While Epimachus species have long central control feathers, the tail plumage of the Drepanornis species is rounded and comparatively short. In relation to the iris color and the head plumage, they are more reminiscent of the sickle tails , another genus in the subfamily of the actual birds of paradise .
The males are slightly larger than the females, but the difference in size is just three percent. The nostrils are almost covered by feathers in the males, but this feature is absent in the females. The wings are long and rounded. The tarsus corresponds to about 22 percent of the wing length.
voice
So far, no vocalizations have been recorded by the females of either species - they behave very inconspicuously, like the females of other birds of paradise. Only the males can be heard who have three characteristic sounds: a contact call, a song with which they announce their presence and courtship sounds. The contact call is a simple whenh (brown- tailed paradise hop ) or wrenh (yellow-tailed paradise hop ), which is reminiscent of the contact calls of other species within the subfamily of the actual birds of paradise. The males let this call be heard again and again while they are looking for food.
The males of both species can be heard in the early and late evening hours when they show their presence by singing. The two species differ mainly in their courtship sounds. Unlike the yellow-tailed paradise hop, the brown-tailed paradise hop has no specific courtship song. At the height of the courtship, only a quick clatter of bills can be heard as an instrumental sound.
Distribution of the species and subspecies
Both species occur exclusively in New Guinea, but the size of the range differs considerably.
- The distribution area of the brown- tailed paradise hop ( Drepanornis bruijnii ), which was first scientifically described by Oustalet in 1880, is limited to the lowlands in the north-east of Western New Guinea and the extreme northwest of Papua New Guinea . The western limit of distribution is the east side of Geelvink Bay . The distribution area probably extends to the mouth of the Taritatu and coastal regions of the Sandaun Province . In the interior, the distribution extends into the catchment area of the Sepik .
- The yellow-tailed paradise hop, on the other hand, occurs in two disjoint subspecies throughout New Guinea.
- There. albertisi (PL Sclater, 1873) - Occurrences in mountains that do not belong to the central mountain range in central New Guinea. The range includes the Vogelkops Mountains, the Wandammen and Huon Peninsula and probably the Fakfak Mountains and the Foja Mountains . The nominate form has a very fragmented distribution area, which Frith and Beehler describe as peculiar. They think it is possible that the division into subspecies will be abandoned in the future.
- There. cervinicauda PL Sclater, 1884 - Central high mountains of New Guinea from the Weiyland Mountains to the mountains in southeast New Guinea.
The range of both species overlaps with that of numerous other birds of paradise. Unlike many other species of this family, hybrids have not been described for either the yellow-tailed paradise hop or the brown-tailed paradise hop.
habitat
The two species differ significantly in their habitat. The habitat of the Braunschwanz-Paradieshopf is the rainforests of the lowlands. It colonizes both primary forests and rainforests with selective logging. It is particularly common in forests along rivers and it seems to have a preference for forests on limestone soils. He can be found a mile or two from the coast. The altitude distribution ranges from the lowlands to altitudes of 180 meters. The habitat of the yellow-tailed paradise hop, on the other hand, is mountain forests. They are seldom seen in regions with logging and on the edges of forests.
Way of life
Both species are considered difficult to observe because of their inconspicuous way of life and inconspicuous plumage.
The yellow-tailed bird of paradise is found mainly on the lower branches of tall trees that are covered with epiphytes . It covers around 94 percent of its nutritional needs with insects. He also consumes a wide range of smaller fruits. The brown-tailed paradise hop covers its nutritional needs with fruits and arthropods. According to the current state of knowledge, it is much more dependent on fruits than the closely related yellowtail paradise hop. Compared to these, its beak is also stronger and wider, which supports this assessment.
Both species use their specialized beaks to examine tree bark, dead wood , branch surfaces and knotholes for prey. They hold larger insects with one foot on a perch, while they tear the prey apart with their beak.
Reproduction
The males of both species are polygynous , which means that they mate with the largest possible number of females. The partners do not enter into a marriage-like relationship after the pairing, but separate again immediately afterwards. The females build the nest on their own and raise the offspring on their own.
In contrast to the species of the genus of actual birds of paradise, for example, the males do not court together on a lek , but occupy individual territories all year round. The combination of polygyny, a permanent courtship and a diet that is almost exclusively dependent on insects, as is the case with the yellow-tailed paradise hop, is unique within the family of birds of paradise.
Drepanornis species and humans
Dedication names
While a large number of birds of paradise are named after members of European royal houses, the Latin name of the species honors personalities who are related to the discovery and first scientific description:
- The specific epithet bruijnii of the Braunschwanz-Paradieshof honors the Dutch plumassier and natural produce dealer Anton August Bruijn . As a trader, he supported the natural scientist Alfred Russel Wallace on his trip to the Moluccas . The type specimen, on which the first scientific description is based, was collected by the hunter L. Laglaize, who collected in New Guinea on behalf of Bruijn. Bruijn had already become aware of the existence of this species four years earlier.
- The specific epithet albertisi of the yellow-tailed paradise hop honors the Italian explorer Luigi Maria d'Albertis , who was the first European to see and collect this bird in the Arfak Mountains in 1872 . D'Alberts knew immediately that this was a new genus and species of birds of paradise. With his discovery he was only slightly faster than the German naturalist Adolf Bernhard Meyer , who also collected yellowtail paradise hops in the Arfak Mountains that same year. The specimen collected by d'Alberts, however, is not the type specimen that provided the basis for the first scientific description. This was collected on the Sattelberg on the Huon Peninsula.
Imprisonment
There is no evidence that the brown-tailed bird of paradise was ever kept in captivity. This is one of the reasons why there is so little knowledge about its reproductive biology. The yellowtail paradise hop, on the other hand, has already been kept in individual zoological collections. Individual reports indicate that they can become very tame.
literature
- Bruce M. Beehler, Thane K. Pratt: Birds of New Guinea; Distribution, Taxonomy, and Systematics . Princeton University Press, Princeton 2016, ISBN 978-0-691-16424-3 .
- Clifford B. Frith, Bruce M. Beehler : The Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae. Oxford University Press, Oxford 1998, ISBN 0-19-854853-2 .
- Eugene M McCarthy: Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World. Oxford University Press, Oxford 2006, ISBN 0-19-518323-1 .
Web links
- Calls from the brown-tailed paradise hop on Xeno-Canto
- Calls of the yellowtail paradise hop on Xeno-Canto
Single receipts
- ↑ Drepanornis bruijnii in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2016 Posted by: BirdLife International, 2016. Accessed October 15, 2017th
- ↑ Handbook of the Birds of the World for the Gelbschwanz-Paradieshopfl , accessed on October 15, 2017
- ↑ a b Frith & Beehler: The Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae . P. 377.
- ↑ a b c d e Frith & Beehler: The Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae . P. 387.
- ↑ a b Frith & Beehler: The Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae . P. 389.
- ↑ Frith & Beehler: The Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae . P. 386.
- ↑ a b Frith & Beehler: The Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae . P. 379.
- ^ McCarthy: Handbook of Avian Hybrids of the World. P. 228.
- ↑ a b c Frith & Beehler: The Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae . P. 380.
- ↑ Frith & Beehler: The Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae . P. 381.
- ↑ Frith & Beehler: The Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae . P. 390.
- ↑ Frith & Beehler: The Birds of Paradise - Paradisaeidae . P. 385.