Displays of Lawes's ParotiaParotia Lawesii(Paradisaeidae), with Reference to those of Congeneric Species and their Evolution

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Abstract
SUMMARYFrith, C.B., and D.W. Frith 1982. Displays of Lawes's Parotia Parotia lawesii (Paradisaeidae), with reference to those of congeneric species and their evolution. Emu 81: 227–238.Single captive males of Lawes's Parotia Parotia lawesii were watched calling, displaying, clearing their courts and feeding, one in Rotterdam Zoo and the other at Baiyer River Sanctuary. They displayed on cleared courts, performing highly complex sequential dances of stereotyped movements with specific postures and feather movements. Behavioural data presented are consistent with the view, based on morphological evidence, that the longer-tailed species of Parotia are primitive and shorter-tailed ones derived. Some components of the display are common to all species of Parotia but, correlated with longer to shorter length of tail and associated increase in complexity of head-feathering, is a behavioural cline from arboreal to terrestrial displays within the genus.Unlike most displaying polygamous birds-of-paradise, performin...