About Diphyllodes respublica (Bonaparte, 1850)
Wilson's bird-of-paradise, Diphyllodes respublica (Bonaparte, 1850), is a rather small species of bird-of-paradise. Males can grow to 16 centimetres (6.3 inches) in length, or 21 cm when including their central tail feathers, and weigh between 53 and 67 grams. Females also reach 16 cm in length, and weigh between 52 and 60 grams. The male is a red and black bird-of-paradise with a yellow mantle across its neck, a light green mouth, rich blue feet, and two curved violet tail feathers. It has a naked blue head marked with a black double cross pattern. The female is a brownish bird with a bare blue crown. In its natural habitat, the vivid blue bare skin on the crown of this bird's head is bright enough to be clearly visible at night. Males have deep scarlet backs, lush velvet green breasts, and curlicue tails that gleam bright silver. This species is endemic to Indonesia, where it is found only in the hill and lowland rainforests of Waigeo and Batanta Islands, located off the coast of West Papua. Its preferred habitat is hill forest at an altitude of 300 m, and it occurs more rarely in lowland rainforest and middle mountain forest. Because of ongoing habitat loss, its limited native range, and exploitation, Wilson's bird-of-paradise is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is also listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
