Monday 7 December 2009

Riflebirds get new uniforms

The young riflebirds have moulted into the adult plumage. For the females, their new outfits are not much different. But the males are getting their glorious black and iridescent blue feathers.

The first hints of a male's new plumage

Change almost complete

Practicing their flamenco dancing

In my garden, I've only seen them display to one another, but elsewhere they may get a little over-enthusiastic. Frith and Cooper report:
We occasionally observed a female-plumaged, presumed male, Victoria's Riflebird perform the Circular wings display to a passing bird of another species including a Wompoo Pigeon Ptilinopus magnificus, Pale Yellow Robin Tregellasia capito and Macleay's Honeyeater Xanthotis macleayana. Such a riflebird, perched on a bird feeder in WTC's garden, once directed this display to a Musky Rat-kangaroo Hypsiprymnodon moschatus beneath it and once to a moth as it flew slowly past, the bird turning to continue presenting its display to the passing insect.


Reference
Frith, CB & Cooper, WT. (1998). Courtship display and mating of Victoria's Riflebird Ptiloris victoriae with notes on the courtship displays of congeneric species. Emu 96: 102 - 113.