Eastern Parotia

Common name

Eastern Parotia

Scientific name

Parotia helenae

Etymology

Parotia (Greek, curl of hair by the ear, alluding to plumes on head); helenae (named after Helena Ford, daughter of Australian oologist A Scott); common name refers to its geographical location relative to other members of the genus; also called Helena’s Parotia.

Description

Sexually dimorphic. Male, 27 cm, female, 25 cm. Adult male entirely jet black except for bronze-brown stripe from lower forehead across base of upper bill, intense iridescent emerald green to greenish-yellow breast shield and three plumes like wires with expanded ends above and behind each eye. Adult female with black head, mottled throat and facial stripe, drab brown upperparts and tail, and barred underparts.

Diet

Fruits

Habitat

Primary montane forest; 500-1500m.

Courtship

Presumably polygynous. Display not described but presumably similar to that of Lawes’ Parotia.

Breeding

Breeding season unknown; nest with egg recorded early December.

Status and conservation

Not threatened; common in some locations.

Distribution

Papua New Guinea: northern watershed of south-eastern ranges from Waria River to Milne Bay Valley.