Halmahera Paradise-crow

Overview

The Halmahera paradise-crow, also known as the silky crow, is a medium-sized, crow-like bird-of-paradise. It is one of the few monogamous birds-of-paradise and is endemic to the lowland forests of Northern Maluku in Indonesia.

Identification

• Medium-sized bird up to 42 cm in length with soft, silky plumage that appears all black but is actually very dark brown.
• Head is slightly glossy black-brown, while upper parts are lighter with a blue-gray shimmer; cinnamon-brown wings.
• Black bill and crimson eyes.
• Call resembles a dog's bark.

Habitat

Restricted to the Northern Maluku islands of Halmahera, Bacan, Kasiruta, Morotai, and Rau in Indonesia. Primarily a forest dweller preferring the taller trees of the forest interior, though it is also found in gardens, forest edges, coconut plantations, and orchards. It frequents the mid-level to canopy of the vegetation and is seldom seen in swamp forests or mangroves.

Diet

Diet consists mainly of fruit, supplemented by arthropods. Both food sources are foraged mainly from the dense canopy and middle foliage.

Did you know?

Although it was originally thought to be a crow, it is now recognised as the earliest known offshoot from the paradisaeid family tree, dating back approximately 17 million years to the Miocene period.