Raggiana bird-of-paradise: National Bird of Papua New Guinea

Why it represents the country

A bird-of-paradise is Papua New Guinea's national emblem. It was chosen in 1971, when the National Identity Ordinance set out both the national emblem and the national flag. The law came into force on 1 July 1971 and is now known as the National Identity Act. It describes the emblem as a bird-of-paradise of the genus Paradisaea in display, seated on a kundu drum with a ceremonial spear behind it.

The law does not name a single species, but the colors it gives for the emblem bird, with a yellow head, a green breast and deep red display plumes, closely match the Raggiana bird-of-paradise. The golden bird soaring on the flag is widely identified as the Raggiana, and it is often called the national bird.

The flag was designed by Susan Karike Huhume, a 15-year-old schoolgirl whose entry won a nationwide competition in 1971. It is divided diagonally: the lower part is black with the five white stars of the Southern Cross, and the upper part is red with the bird-of-paradise in gold. The soaring bird is said to represent the nation's emergence. In Tok Pisin the bird is called kumul, and the national rugby league team is known as the Kumuls.

About the animal

The Raggiana bird-of-paradise is about 34 centimeters long, not counting the male's long plumes. Its body is a rich maroon brown. The male has a yellow crown, a dark emerald-green throat and a yellow collar, and from his sides spring huge sprays of lacy plumes. In some populations these plumes are deep red, while in birds from the northeast they are orange to apricot. He also has two long, wire-like black tail feathers. The female is plainer, mostly maroon-brown, with no long plumes.

Raggianas eat mainly fruit, along with insects and other small invertebrates. By eating fruit and passing the seeds, they help spread many forest trees. For some kinds of nutmeg and mahogany, the Raggiana is the main animal that carries the seeds.

Males are famous for their courtship displays. They gather at display sites called leks, usually a group of tall, slender trees, and compete for the best perches. There they call loudly, clap their wings, shake their heads and show off their plumes to visiting females. A lek can be 30 to 100 meters across, and the female chooses which male to mate with.

After mating, the female raises the young on her own. She builds a bowl-shaped nest of leaves, stems and ferns on a tree branch, usually 2 to 11 meters above the ground, and lays one or two pinkish eggs. She incubates them alone for about 18 days in the wild, and she feeds the chicks without help from the male.

Conservation

The Raggiana bird-of-paradise is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. It is widespread and common in the tropical forests of Papua New Guinea.

Bird-of-paradise plumes have been prized for a long time. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, large numbers of birds were hunted to supply plumes for fashionable hats in Europe. Today birds-of-paradise have legal protection, and the Raggiana is listed on Appendix II of CITES, which regulates international trade.

In Papua New Guinea, plumes are still used in traditional ceremonial headdresses, and hunting at a sustainable level for these ceremonies is allowed. This local use is not considered a threat to the Raggiana's long-term survival. For birds-of-paradise as a group, the main threat today is the loss of forest, so protecting the country's forests also protects the bird on its flag.

Fun facts

• Male Raggianas gather in display groups called leks, where they clap their wings and shake their plumes for visiting females.
• The flag of Papua New Guinea was designed in 1971 by a 15-year-old schoolgirl, Susan Karike Huhume.
• In Tok Pisin the bird-of-paradise is called kumul, which is also the nickname of the national rugby league team.

Frequently asked questions

What is the national bird of Papua New Guinea?

The national bird of Papua New Guinea is the Raggiana bird-of-paradise (officially designated). It is a maroon-brown forest bird whose males have a yellow crown and huge sprays of lacy plumes, and the golden bird soaring on the red half of Papua New Guinea's flag is widely identified as a Raggiana.

Which country has the Raggiana bird-of-paradise as its national bird?

The Raggiana bird-of-paradise is the national bird of Papua New Guinea. The Raggiana bird-of-paradise is also known as Count Raggi's bird-of-paradise or kumul.

Why is the Raggiana bird-of-paradise the national bird of Papua New Guinea?

The National Identity Ordinance of 1971, now the National Identity Act, made a bird-of-paradise of the genus Paradisaea the national emblem and put one on the national flag. The law does not name a single species, but the colors it gives the emblem bird, a yellow head, a green breast and deep red display plumes, closely match the Raggiana bird-of-paradise, and the soaring bird on the flag is said to represent the nation's emergence.

Is the Raggiana bird-of-paradise endangered?

The Raggiana bird-of-paradise is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is widespread and common in Papua New Guinea's tropical forests. For birds-of-paradise as a group, the main threat today is the loss of forest.

Where does the Raggiana bird-of-paradise live?

Tropical forests across Papua New Guinea.

Where can you see the Raggiana bird-of-paradise in the wild?

Wild Raggiana birds-of-paradise in Papua New Guinea are widespread and common in the tropical forests of the south and north-east, and Varirata National Park near Port Moresby is one protected area where they live.

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Sources

• Encyclopaedia Britannica. Bird-of-paradise.
• Flags of the World. Papua New Guinea.
• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Paradisaea raggiana (assessment 2018).
• BirdLife International DataZone – Raggiana Bird-of-paradise Paradisaea raggiana species factsheet.
• National Capital District Commission – Variarata National Park.
• Conservation status: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.