New birds of paradise Discovery
A fallen tree in a forest may seem unremarkable—but to some birds of paradise, it’s the ideal stage for a mating dance. Edwin Scholes, who runs Cornell’s Birds-of-Paradise Project, and Tim Laman, a biologist and National Geographic photographer, were doing research in the Arfak Mountains of western New Guinea. When they found a downed log and set up a camera in hopes of catching a courtship display.
The bird that appeared was different from others of its species, says Scholes. Its feathers fanned into a unique crescent shape, and it had distinctive moves, “like a Latin dance where all the motion is below the hips”. What he and Laman observed confirmed a previous discovery of genetic variation. Last year they announced a new species. The Vogelkop superb bird of paradise. Such sightings may benefit the region, says Scholes, by encouraging ecotourism that provides a “new economic incentive to keep the forest intact.”
