Informative Essay On Corvids

506 Words2 Pages

Mayrene Slatton-McCoy August 29, 2017 Comp. 1 5th Hour Informative Essay Birds-of-Paradise Hidden in the large island of New Guinea and small parts of Australia, the Paradisaeidae family is one of the best examples of the power of natural selection and sexual evolution. Most commonly known as Birds-of-Paradise, Paradisaediae, are closely linked to the corvid family. The corvid family consists of crows, ravens, and jays (Irestedt, Jønsson and Fjeldså). What sets Birds-of-Paradise aside from normal corvids is their flashy courtship displays, bright and intricate plumage, and long evolutional history. In 2012, Edwin Scholes and Tim Laman published their research on Birds-of-Paradise. The research took eight years and totaled to be eighteen expeditions to New Guinea. They discovered a sum of thirty-nine species (Bodio). Each species is different and has unique qualities. Size, for instance, is very diverse. The King Bird-of-Paradise is fifteen centimeters long, whereas the Black Sicklebill is one-hundred and ten centimeters long. Length of a bird is measured from the head to the end of the tail. The Curl-Crested Manucode is fifteen ounces heavy, while the King Bird-of-Paradise is significantly less at one and a half ounces heavy (Gill). The size of the bird helps with eating, and courtship displays. …show more content…

They demand males to have best plumage, vocalization, and strength while courting in order to reproduce. Males use elongated feathers and elaborate movements to impress the female (Irestedt, Jønsson and Fjeldså). Courtship displays are behaviors of beauty and grace. For example, the male Wahnes’s parotia dances like a ballerina, bobbing its head up and down as he spreads his wing feathers to form a skirt. The females sit above the male so that she has a good view to watch the behavior (Gill). It is common to see male juveniles practice courtship displays years before they grow and become full adults ( National

Open Document