King Bird-of-Paradise Cicinnurus regius Scientific name definitions
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated April 28, 2017
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Species names in all available languages
| Language | Common name |
|---|---|
| Bulgarian | Кралска райска птица |
| Dutch | Koningsparadijsvogel |
| English | King Bird-of-Paradise |
| English (United States) | King Bird-of-Paradise |
| French | Paradisier royal |
| French (French Guiana) | Paradisier royal |
| German | Königsparadiesvogel |
| Icelandic | Konungsdjásni |
| Indonesian | Cendrawasih raja |
| Japanese | ヒヨクドリ |
| Norwegian | kongeparadisfugl |
| Polish | latawiec królewski |
| Russian | Королевская райская птица |
| Serbian | Kraljevska rajska ptica |
| Slovak | rajka kráľovská |
| Spanish | Ave del Paraíso Real |
| Spanish (Spain) | Ave del paraíso real |
| Swedish | kungsparadisfågel |
| Turkish | Kral Cennetkuşu |
| Ukrainian | Дивоптах королівський |
Cicinnurus regius (Linnaeus, 1758)
Definitions
- CICINNURUS
- regius
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
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Field Identification
Male 16 cm (31 cm inclusive of central rectrices), 43–65 g; female 19 cm, 38–58 g. Very small paradisaeid with upper ridge of culmen sharply keeled to knife edge (as in C. respublica and Semioptera). Male nominate race has crimson head , chin, breast and upperparts, more orange on forecrown and tuft of elongate plush feathering over culmen base, discrete spot of black feathering above central eye showing iridescent dark green; elongate mantle "cape" feathers, back, rump, tertials and some upperwing-coverts crimson to carmine with intense white iridescence, uppertail-coverts duller, more orange (less glossy crimson); upperwing predominantly glossy crimson, flight-feathers and some coverts variably brown; uppertail dark brownish-olive with brown-orange outer feather edges, elongated central feather pair reduced to fine bare red-brown central shafts with remarkable terminal spiral discs, latter (formed of inner feather web) iridescent metallic dark green with bronzed-yellow sheen; lowermost crimson throat feathers finely tipped pale buff where they meet narrow breast shield of iridescent dark green (can appear jet-black to burnished green-yellow in some lights); on each side of shield several elongate erectile fan-shaped olive-brown pectoral plumes, these pinkish-buff immediately prior to a broad iridescent tip of metallic bright green; remaining underparts white; iris pale brown to dark brown or greyish-brown; bill ivory-yellow, mouth pale aqua-green; legs violaceous cobalt-blue to blue-grey. Female is similar in size to male, but tail (excluding central rectrices) longer; plumage radically different, in cryptically drab-coloured olive-brown above, with rusty margins on greater coverts, remiges and tail feathers, often with paler, buffier area above eye, variably buff on breast, flanks and lower belly, and entire underside finely and uniformly barred dark brown; bill and legs duller than adult male's. Newly fledged juvenile (11 days) has upper head brown, tinged russet, with light superciliary stripe with dark spot above, upperparts and tail grey-brown, wing feathers darker brown, greater coverts and outer primaries red-brown, chin grey-tinged brownish-yellow with fine streaks and points, underparts light grey with dark barring, iris grey-brown, bill-horn coloured, legs paler blue than female; immature male like adult, younger (darker-billed) individuals having much orange-rufous on wing-coverts and outer edges of flight-feathers, and orange-rufous wash on upper breast and (more so) to side of it, but steadily losing this as acquiring increasingly paler bill and then the red of adult plumage, rectrices pointed at tips; subadult male variable, like adult female with few feathers of adult male plumage intruding to like adult male with few feathers of female-like plumage remaining; with age, male acquires progressively shorter outer rectrices while simultaneously gaining progressively longer central pair. Race <em>coccineifrons</em> is very like nominate, differs only in having central pair of rectrices and bill slightly longer.
Systematics History
Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.
Hybridization with C. magnificus recorded. Proposed race rex (Sorong district, in Vogelkop) synonymized with nominate; and gymnorhynchus (near Finschhafen, on NE coast of Huon Peninsula), cryptorhynchus (Taua, on lower Mamberamo R) and similis (Stephansort, in Astrolabe Bay) treated as synonyms of coccineifrons. Two subspecies recognized.Subspecies
Cicinnurus regius regius Scientific name definitions
Distribution
Cicinnurus regius regius (Linnaeus, 1758)
Definitions
- CICINNURUS
- regius
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Cicinnurus regius coccineifrons Scientific name definitions
Distribution
Cicinnurus regius coccineifrons Rothschild, 1896
Definitions
- CICINNURUS
- regius
- coccineifrons
The Key to Scientific Names
Legend Overview
Distribution
Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.
Habitat
Lowland rainforest , monsoon forest, gallery forest and forest edge, including disturbed areas and tall secondary forest; from sea-level to 950 m, mainly no higher than 300–400 m.
Movement
Diet and Foraging
Sounds and Vocal Behavior
Advertisment calls of males are varied, more typical ones being transcribed as a descending "whei-wher-wha" and ringing, falling, "wher-whei-wha"; a descending "queu-queu-queu"; a deep "kraaa-kraaa-kraaa"; a rising series of loud, throaty, "cho-chow-chaw-chaw-chaw-chaw-chai" notes; a nasal and plaintive series of "ca", "wa" or "wau" notes rising slightly in pitch; a lower-pitched, trilled, slowly delivered "rahn rahn rahn rahn"; a high, plaintive and nasal "ki-kyer"; a high insistent "ki kyer kyer kyer kyer kyer kyer kyer kyer kyer" rapidly delivered and dropping in pitch and speed toward the end. Some calls reminiscent of typical Paradisaea, whereas others like C. magnificus. A foraging call given by all birds is a plaintive "weeo-weeo" with each note downslurred and descending. During courtship adult males produce subdued chittering of rhythmic twittering, churring, buzzing and grating notes continuously.
Breeding
Conservation Status
- Year-round
- Migration
- Breeding
- Non-Breeding