Displays of Count Raggi's Bird-of-Paradise Paradisaea raggiana and congeneric species

Abstract

Vanous loud advertisement calls of Paradisaea raggiana are very similar to those of congeneric species and a peculiar mechanical sound previously considered unique to P. rubra is also produced by P. raggiana and P. apoda. The full sequence of display is performed communally by males, on an arboreal lek of one or several trees, and consists of a complex progression of postures and movements generally similar to other species of Paradisaea, which are reviewed with special reference to P. apoda and P. rubra, but most similar to that of P. rubra. A broad type of sequence of displays of Paradisaea is tentatively described, which is common to all species save P. guilielmi and P. rudolphi, which display inverted and stationary. Peculiarities, cloiely related to the degree of epigamic plumage, are found in several species.

This clearer understanding of the whole sequence of display by P. raggiana to copulation provides deeper insight into these of P. rubra in which copulation is undescribed; this strongly suggests that these two species perform nearly identical highly ritualized preopulatory postures and movements in display.