Archbold's bowerbird

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: Arch-boldlaubenvogel; 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 × 13 ft (3 × 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.