Animalia Life

Archboldia papuensis
TAXONOMY
Archboldia papuensis Rand, 1940, Bele River, Snow Mountains, Irian Jaya. Two subspecies
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Sandford’s bowerbird, Tomba bowerbird, gold-crested black bowerbird; French: Jardinier d’Archbold; German: Archboldlaubenvogel; Spanish: Capulinero de Archbold.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
14.2 in (36 cm); female 0.36–0.41 lb (163–185 g), male 0.40–0.42 lb (180–190 g). Brown with distinctive cropped yellow tuft from forehead to back.
DISTRIBUTION
Patchily distributed along the central New Guinea cordillera, mostly at 7,540–9,500 ft (2,300–2,900 m) altitude. A. p. papuensis: Bele River near Lake Habbema, Wissel Lakes, Oranje, Nassau, and Weyland Ranges, Irian Jaya; A. p. sanfordi: Mount Hagen and Giluwe, Tari Gap, and southern Karius Range.
HABITAT
Frost-prone moss forests.
BEHAVIOR
The maypole bower consists of a deep terrestrial mat of fern fronds, averaging 10 x 13 ft (3 x 4 m) in size, decorated with discrete piles of snail shells, beetle elytra, tree resin, plumes of adult male King of Saxony birds of paradise (Pteridophora alberti), and other objects. Perches above the mat are draped with orchid stems and decorated with fruits and other items. Adult males emit diverse advertisement vocalizations that include mimicry.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Unknown for adults but the nestling diet is mainly of fruit, tree-climbing skinks, beetles, and other arthropods.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Polygynous, with promiscuous adult males and exclusively female nest attendance. Active nests observed during September through February. Large, bulky, open cup nest is typically built in fork of an isolated sapling 10–23 ft (3–7 m) above ground. Nest is made of a stick foundation, a deep substantial cup of large dried leaves (uppermost ones green), and an egg-cup lining of curved twiglets. The single, unmarked, pale buff, egg is incubated for 26–27 days. The nestling period is 30 days.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Considered Near Threatened. Reasonably common and widespread throughout its patchy range.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
King of Saxony bird of paradise plumes are highly valued by highland men as personal adornment and are taken from bowers when found.

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