traveller Birdman
our country
For Beehler, birding is a portal to another world. And one of his favourite places in that world is the lek – the communal assembly during the Raggiana mating season. “It’s like the royal court of Louis XIV in the canopy of one big tree in the forest,” says Beehler. “The male birds are all dressed up in a display of colourful plumage to compete for the females, who check them out. Unlike human society, bird of paradise females are
What to take birding Notebook Lightweight binoculars (preferably roof prism) Field guide:
Birds of New Guinea (second edition 2014) Bruce M. Beehler, Thane K. Pratt (Available online from Princeton University Press)
plain. But like humans they want to mate with the dominant, most attractive male – the Brad Pitt of the species.” Among Beehler’s other favourites is the Victoria Crowned Pigeon. “It’s the world’s largest pigeon and the most beautiful,” he says. “When this bulky bird takes off, it’s as noisy as a 747.” Another large bird that interests Beehler is the New Guinea Vulturine Parrot. “I think it’s the world’s weirdest parrot because it looks like a vulture and has a low, loud growling voice that sounds like a dinosaur retching.” However, Beehler considers his first sighting of the Fire-maned Bowerbird as the “strangest” experience. Largely unknown by Europeans until the late 20th century, the black-and-orange beauty was long considered the rarest bird in PNG. Beehler set out to find the bowerbird in the Adelbert Mountains behind Madang. “I thought it would be an elusive search for the holy grail,” he says. “Instead, I saw one in
36 Paradise – Air Niugini’s in-flight magazine
Bruce Beehler’s top 10 PNG birds to see
1 2 3
Raggiana Bird of Paradise: provides a communal mating display.
B lack Sicklebill: solitary display; the largest bird of paradise. K ing of Saxony Bird of Paradise: solitary display; wonderful mobile head-wires.
4 5
V ictoria Crowned Pigeon: the world’s largest pigeon and the most beautiful.
N ew Guinea Vulturine Parrot: world’s weirdest parrot.
6 7 8 9 10
P alm Cockatoo: a giant blackish cockatoo with a stupendous voice
N orthern Cassowary: a giant flightless bird of the rainforest. F ire-maned Bowerbird: the most beautiful bowerbird.
C ommon Paradise-Kingfisher: the most beautiful kingfisher. W attled Brush-turkey: like a chicken, lays its huge eggs in a giant mound of leaves.