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Paradise bird in Arfak Mountains
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The paradise bird that I am going to discuss in this article is about a species of bird and not flower. I will discuss about paradise bird flower in my other article. In Arfak mountains of Manokwari regency, we can watch two species of birds of Paradise that attract the attention of nature lovers and tourists. The first one is the lesser birds of paradise and the second one is the magnificent birds of paradise. To watch the magnificent one, there are two villages that have become destinations for in Arfak mountains that are still covered with tropical rainforest. They are Syioubri and Kwau. They are two neighboring villages. If we want to go there, we need to use a 4WD car capable of climbing steep. It takes around two hours from Manokwari city to reach one of the two villages. As a tourist guide, I provide tour package to rainforest of Arfak mountains.
After arriving in one of the villages, for example Kwau, tourists need to take a rest. The footpath leading to a place where paradise bird likes to dance is not too far but the foot path from the main road to the tourist house is quite far around 60 minutes walking. To watch the magnificent birds of paradise (cincinnurus magnificus), we have to walk early in the morning. The closest bird watching spot is only a 5-minute walk from the tourist homestay. Before sunrise, we have to be already inside the bird watching hut (also called blind). While waiting for the male paradise bird to perform his natural dance, tourists need to prepare their digital camera or video camera recorder.
Usually,
Hans Mandacan the owner of the tourist homestay, pick a bunch of red fruit and
place it in front of the blind to attract the magnificent birds of paradise.
Tourists must not make a lot of noise while staying inside the bird watching hut. The hut is covered with leaves from tropical plants that grow around the area. When the sun is about to rise, usually the male magnificent bird of paradise arrives first and begin calling the female birds. Voices from other birds can also be heard but we can easily distinguish which ones are the paradise birds or not. When the female birds have come, the male magnificent birds of paradise will start his performance. He will dance, unfurl his feather and perhaps land on the red fruit to eat it. The natural dance performance by the male magnificent bird of paradise may last for two hours depending on the weather and the fruiting season.
In Syioubri village, only magnificent birds of paradise that can be watched whereas the lesser birds of paradise generally live on the low elevation area of the Arfak mountains. The territory of Kwau village extends from the high elevation to the low elevation slope. Tourists need to walk down the slope for around two hours to reach the place where the lesser birds of paradise (paradisaea minor) usually gather early in the mornings and in the afternoons before sunset.
All over New Guinea island, the population of paradise bird is being threatened by massive deforestation and hunting. The promotion of ecotourism in Arfak mountains and other areas in the tropical island is expected to reduce the hunting of the birds from natural habitat by the local villagers who usually sell them in the city for extra cash. Ecotourism will bring additional income to local people and encourage them to preserve their rainforest for future generation of Papuan people.
Cockatoo Bird from the Rainforest of Manokwari
Paradise Birds in Papuan Traditional Dance
Paradise bird from vogelkop region of West Papua
Birds of paradise in the rainforest
