Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Vocal Array

Vocalizations are very poorly known; the species appears to be mostly silent and certainly less silent than birds of paradise (8 Frith, C. B., and B. M. Beehler (1998). The Birds of Paradise. Paradisaeidae. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).

Song

An explosive but muffled bark, similar to the call of the Macgregor’s Bowerbird (Amblyornis macgregoriae), and repeated after long intervals, often of several minutes’ duration (19 Diamond, J. M. (1972). Avifauna of the Eastern Highlands of New Guinea. Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club 12. Cambridge, MA, USA. Close , 38 Beehler, B. M., T. K. Pratt, and D. A. Zimmerman (1986). Birds of New Guinea. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close , 14 Pratt, T. K., and B. M. Beehler (2015) Birds of New Guinea. Second edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ). Mack and Wright (10 Mack, A. L., and D. D. Wright (2000). Notes on the Crested Cnemophilus macgregorii and Yellow-breasted Loboparadisea sericea Birds of Paradise. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 120(3):186–189. Close ) described what is presumed to be the same vocalization as a loud and emphatic grwhaa.

Calls

Mayr and Rand (39 Mayr, E., and A. L. Rand (1937). Results of the Archbold Expeditions. 14. Birds of the 1933–1934 Papuan Expedition. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 73(1):1–248. Close ) reported a low harsh hissing; a loud clicking call repeated several times; and a loud call similar to that produced when two trees rub together under stress (also heard by 10 Mack, A. L., and D. D. Wright (2000). Notes on the Crested Cnemophilus macgregorii and Yellow-breasted Loboparadisea sericea Birds of Paradise. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 120(3):186–189. Close ); and Forshaw and Cooper (20 Forshaw, J. M., and W. T. Cooper (1977). The Birds of Paradise and Bower Birds. Collins, Sydney, Australia. Close ) mentioned a prolonged squeak, likened to a creaking rusty gate (which may be the same call as that last mentioned by 39 Mayr, E., and A. L. Rand (1937). Results of the Archbold Expeditions. 14. Birds of the 1933–1934 Papuan Expedition. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 73(1):1–248. Close ), and a rasping aa-aah or haah. In captivity, a male and female-plumaged bird produced low pleasant purring sounds, softer in the latter (27 Peckover, W. S. (1990). Papua New Guinea Birds of Paradise. Robert Brown and Associates, Carina, Queensland, Australia. Close ). At nests, different females have been recorded making wark wark calls (40 Loke Wan Tho (1957). A Company of Birds. Michael Joseph, London, UK. Close ) and a soft, sharp whit (33 Frith, C. B., and D. W. Frith (1993). Nidification of the Crested Bird of Paradise Cnemophilus macgregorii and a review of its biology and systematics. Emu 93(1):23–33. Close ). When disturbed there, the incubating bird gives a soft, churring-growl (8 Frith, C. B., and B. M. Beehler (1998). The Birds of Paradise. Paradisaeidae. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close , 14 Pratt, T. K., and B. M. Beehler (2015) Birds of New Guinea. Second edition. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, USA. Close ).

Nestling. When begging food, young produce a “high-pitched, sharp, metallic-sounding, squeaky bleating” (33 Frith, C. B., and D. W. Frith (1993). Nidification of the Crested Bird of Paradise Cnemophilus macgregorii and a review of its biology and systematics. Emu 93(1):23–33. Close ).

Wingbeats of males produce a loud whirring noise (8 Frith, C. B., and B. M. Beehler (1998). The Birds of Paradise. Paradisaeidae. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. Close ).