Arfak Astrapia, or Astrapia Nigra is a bird species endemic to West Papua, Indonesia. This type of bird is found in the Arfak Mountains, Papua, Indonesia, especially in the Tamarau area.
Get to know the Arfak Astrapia, Endemic Bird in the West Papua
The name Arfak Astrapia comes from two languages, namely Latin and Greek. Astrapia in Greek means light, and nigra in Latin means black.
This bird is a rare and protected species of aves because their numbers are limited and can only be found in a few places, such as in Eastern Indonesia.
Here are the facts about Astropia Arfak that you should know:
1. Characteristics
Astrapia Arfak is a type of bird that has a large size with a body length of approximately 76 centimetres and is black. In comparison, the colour of the fur varies, such as purple, green, and bronze.
This rare aves bird has a short beak and a long, blunt tail. The male bird has a straight and long tail, black feathers on the chest, and complex head feathers.
The feathers on the male bird’s head are black, with a length of up to 60 cm.
The neck’s nape up to the cape’s layer is greenish-yellow, and on the upper wings, it is shiny purple, like the colour of the tail.
The female Astrapia Artifacts are monotonous, with black on the skull and brown on all other body parts. Female birds are usually up to 50 cm long.
2. How to Breed
The mating season for Astrapia Arfak has yet to be identified. However, chicks are born from July to August.
The female bird builds her nest and lives alone with her chicks. The incubation and cuddle periods are not clearly defined.
3. Habitats
This bird is usually find in mountainous and sub-alpine forest areas at altitudes between 1700 – 2250 m.
There is no specific information regarding the food these birds consume, but there are records of these birds eating pandanus and anthropods.
4. Threats
The rainforests exist largely undisturb due to geographical isolation and overcrowding and the traditional lifestyles of the people, but many are hunt for the fur trade.
Therefore, prevention is being carry out by building a nature reserve in the Arfak Mountains area.
And expanding the nature reserve area to protect animals in the Tamrau Mountains and Arfak Mountains area.
5. Hard to Find
Arfak Astrapia are hard to find. Not much documentation has succeeded in recording their behaviour, let alone finding out how they attract the attention of the opposite sex.
Not only visually stunning, but the behaviour of Arfak Astrapia in attracting the attention of the opposite sex is also worth observing.
They dance in front of the opposite sex like the “ultimate seducer”.
As the name implies, the bird of paradise, Astrapia Arfak, is an endemic bird find in the West Papua, especially the Arfak Mountains, with an altitude of between 1,700 and 2,250 meters.
Among the hundreds of bird species, one of the aves families that “stole” the world’s attention is a member of the Paradisaeidae family, namely paradise.
There live four species of bird of paradise in the Arfak Mountains.
They are Arfak Parotia (Parotia sefilata), Vogelkop Superb-bird-of-paradise (Lophorina niedda), Long-tailed Paradigalla (Paradigalla carunculata), and Astrapia Arfak (Astrapia nigra).
The Arfak Astrapia is indeed a very unique and rare bird. Not only visually captivating, but the behaviour of this bird is also worth observing.
Immediately visit West Papua to enjoy the beauty of this rare bird.