Skip to main content

Victoria’s Riflebird

Ptiloris victoriae

Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

-16.545, 145.398

Field Notes

Description:

Adults, 23 cm. Adult males jet black with iridescent greenish blue crown and breast shield, underparts with bronze-yellow sheen and central pair of tail feather greenish blue. Female greyish brown above, with narrow pale line above eye and underparts rich cinnamon with small dark chevrons.

Habitat:

Rainforest

Notes:

Diet:
Small animals, including insects, insect larvae and spiders, and fruit.
Courtship

Polygymous. Solitary male displays and sings at traditional perches, defending these sites from other males each season (July-December). Courtship begins with static posture, which develops into several movements and postures. Twisting wings and swinging head, male moves towards female and claps wings aggressively, encircling and almost hitting her with wings.
Breeding:
Breeding occurs least August-February. Only female builds and attends to nest, which is built 20 m from ground, in new foliage atop broken tree stump or branch. Incubation 18-19 days; nestling period of 13-15 days. No known hybridisation; does not share habitat with any other bird of paradise.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (12)

Congratulations on SOTD! That 3rd shot is fantastic!
Great Spotting .. Congrats :)
Congratulations Mark, your Victoria’s Riflebird is our Spotting of the Day. Nice to have you back! "A male Victoria’s Riflebird (Ptiloris victoriae) shows off his blue-green iridescent throat patch in our Spotting of the Day! This species of bird-of-paradise is endemic to the Atherton Tableland region of northeastern Queensland, Australia. Birds-of-paradise (family Paradisaeidae) are found in eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Australia. The majority of birds-of-paradise are sexually dimorphic, with the males showing spectacular plumage. Most species of birds-of-paradise have elaborate mating rituals". Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/projectnoah/photos/a.10150595289465603.674700.10150120463815603/10159538282050603/?type=3&theater Twitter: https://twitter.com/projectnoah/status/923317998173253633
awesome spotting Mark,i love these birds,congrats and thanks or sharing
I wasn't ready for that last shot. Stunning. Great stuff Mark.
Great images as always Mark. That third one is a cracker!
Photographed
PublishedOctober 24, 2017

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon