Have you ever wondered, “Is there a bird that can dance”? Well yes there is and it is called the Queen Carola’s Parotia, also known as the Kings of Dance. They live in the mid-mountain forests of Central New Guinea. They have a tutu-like skirt that the males use to attract mates. I’m writing this essay to inform you about birds that you might have never heard about.

 

They are a medium sized bird, up to 26cm in length. The males are black with blue and or yellow eyes and the females are brown with yellow eyes. There are currently no adaptations of the Queen Carola’s Parotia. Some characteristics about the males is that they have 3 ornamental spatule head feathers connected to each eye and another very special characteristic is their dancing.

 

These birds live in New Guinea, which is an island North of Australia. New Guinea is very bio-diverse and contains 5%-10% of all species on the planet. The Queen Carola’s Parotias are balanced least concerned on the Threatened Species list.

 

This bird is an omnivore.  They mostly feed on fruits and arthropods. To be able for the Queen Carola’s Parotia to get food, it has to dodge some predators. Since they live in such a beautiful forest, there are some animals that take the title of king. For example, hawks, snakes, and believe it or not they are also hunted by humans that live in settlements by the forest. But sometimes the males can protect themselves, and their family, by getting hunted by using their tutu-like skirt to distract the animal and or human. The Queen Carola’s Parotias are in the middle of their food webs with hawks above and arthropods below. 

 

This bird is very important.  They aren’t just for hair decorations; they protect their families and their same species too. Something that stood out most about this animal is their unique dancing. I would’ve never guessed that there would be a bird that dances to protect and mate. Therefore, I think that the Queen Carola’s Parotia, also known as the “Kings of Dance,” is a very interesting and unique bird.

 

 

Author:  Jillian W.

Published:  February 19, 2014

 

 

Scholes III, E. (2014). Courtship Ethology of Carola’s Parotia. The Auk, Volume 131, Issue 1, Pages 967-990.

 

Queen Carola’s Parotia. (March 15, 2013) Wikipedia.org. Retrieved February 17, 2014 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Carola%27s_Parotia

 

Papua New Guinea. Worldatlas.com. Retrieved February 17, 2014 from http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/oceania/pg.htm

 

Photo credit: http://pengembaradunia.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/bird-of-paradise/