Birds-of-Paradise Project Introduction

The Birds-of-Paradise Project reveals the astounding beauty of 39 of the most exquisitely specialized animals on earth. After 8 years and 18 expeditions to New Guinea, Australia, and nearby islands, Cornell Lab scientist Ed Scholes and National Geographic photojournalist Tim Laman succeeded in capturing images of all 39 species in the bird-of-paradise family for the first time ever. This trailer gives a sense of their monumental undertaking and the spectacular footage that resulted. Filmed by Tim Laman, Ed Scholes, and Eric Liner.

The Blue Finch or Yellow-billed Blue Finch

The Blue Finch or Yellow-billed Blue Finch (Porphyrospiza caerulescens) is a species of bird in the Thraupidae (tanager-family). Sometimes classified in the bunting and American sparrow family Emberizidae, a recent study has shown it to belong in the Thraupidae. It is found in Bolivia and Brazil. Its natural habitat is dry savanna (cerrado). It is becoming rare due to habitat loss. Photo: Peter van Zoest.

Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) in West-Papua New Guinea

Palm Cockatoo (Probosciger aterrimus) in West-Papua New Guinea by Lars Petersson.

Reed Warbler Feeding a Common Cuckoo Chick

Reed Warbler feeding a Common Cuckoo chick by Per Harald Olsen. Some species of birds thrive not by carefully rearing their own young, but by pawning that task off on adults of other species. This is called Brood Parasitism.

The Great Tit (Parus major)

The Great Tit (Parus major) is a widespread and common species throughout Europe, the Middle East, Central and Northern Asia, and parts of North Africa. Photo: Pleskonics Ferenc.

Mindanao Wattled Broadbill (Sarcophanops steerii) on Mindanao, the Philippines by Phil Tizzard.


King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) in Alaska, US by Sunil Gopalan.


Male Golden-winged Manakin

Male Golden-winged Manakin (Masius chrysopterus) trying to impress a female. This manakin is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.
Posted by Birds on Thursday, February 4, 2016
Male Golden-winged Manakin (Masius chrysopterus) trying to impress a female. This manakin is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. 

Narcondam Hornbill

Narcondam Hornbill (Rhyticeros narcondami) by Niranjan Sant. This hornbill is endemic to the Indian island of Narcondam in the Andamans. The island is small, covering an area of approximately 6.8 square kilometres (2.6 square miles), so this hornbill has the smallest home range out of all the species of Asian hornbills.

The Red-billed Streamertail

The Red-billed Streamertail (Trochilus polytmus), also known as the Doctor Bird, is indigenous to Jamaica, where it is the most abundant and widespread member of the hummingbird family. While most authorities now consider it a separate species, some (including the American Ornithologists' Union) continue to consider it conspecific with the Black-billed Streamertail. The Red-billed Streamertail is the national bird of Jamaica.

Exceptionally Rare Multicolored Bird Sighting in New York Attracts Crowds of Avian Enthusiasts



Well, nature is fully covered with beautiful things. No matter whatever things on planet earth, everything is beautiful and playing their role. Just like a particularly rare sightings of a male Painted Bunting in Brooklyn, New York's Prospect Park are ruffling the feathers of bird fanatics everywhere. The beautiful avian is naturally found around Florida and Texas, spending winters in Mexico; very very rarely does it come as far north as New York. In fact, according to data on record, this is the “first male Painted Bunting that’s ever had a recorded visit to Brooklyn” making sightings of this little guy about as common as catching a glimpse of a unicorn.

Therefore, this explains why the little fellow is causing hundreds of bird watchers and avian lovers to flock to the park, in hopes of a valuable look as his colorful plumage. It is most likely that a wind blew him up north, and he was tempted to stay due to the unusually warm November the city experienced. Therefore, with his vivid blue head and bright yellow shoulders that fade into a delicate green, the Painted Bunting is an extremely beautiful well deserving of the celebrity status he has gained in New York. Source: Charismaticplanet.com




Tickell's Blue Flycatcher

The Tickell's Blue Flycatcher (Cyornis tickelliae) is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family. This is an insectivorous species which breeds in tropical southern Asia from India and Sri Lanka to Indonesia. They are blue on the upperparts and the throat and breast are rufous. They are found in dense scrub to forest habitats.