http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html I studied the evolution of the courtship phenotype in the genus Parotia for my Ph.D. research. The genus includes about 4-10 species depending on species concept applied. Males are largely jet-black, jay-sized, birds with a suite of bizarre plumage ornaments, such as the three elongate wire-like and racket-tipped feathers that protrude from behind each eye, the patch of iridescent feathers of the upper breast (called a breast shield), and the unusual body feathers on the upper flanks that extend beyond the torso. Female Parotia and young males (who don’t acquire adult plumage until they are 4-5 years old) are cryptic in comparison with brown upper parts, paler barred undersides and, for the most part, only slight markings on the head. Most species have cobalt blue eyes, but in Carola’s Parotia they are bright yellow. http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#0 947bd97a-5ae6-49f3-b644-275912c99e84 http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/KR1.2.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/KR1.2.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style">Parotia wahnesi - <span class="style_3">© 2006 Edwin Scholes III</span></p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#1 6b8ad2f7-50db-4205-a52a-40ade17467ea http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/Wa2.1.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/Wa2.1.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style">Parotia wahnesi - <span class="style_3">© 2006 Edwin Scholes III</span></p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#2 e4d6064a-4929-4182-9fa5-fb42088e0869 http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/Wa2-bow3.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/Wa2-bow3.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style">Parotia wahnesi<span class="style_3"> - © 2006 Edwin Scholes III </span></p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#3 6b5d2117-87a0-4e82-bdb1-f0ec256be3fc http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/Wa2-bow4.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/Wa2-bow4.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style">Parotia wahnesi<span class="style_3"> - © 2006 Edwin Scholes III</span></p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#4 3a38b6fd-e6bf-43ed-8ade-30b0f4bde1fc http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-1.2.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-1.2.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style">Parotia carolae <span class="style_3"> - © 2006 Edwin Scholes III</span></p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#5 71cb7cac-a559-4831-8f96-c91075dbd841 http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-4.2.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-4.2.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">sub-adult <span class="style_1">P. carolae</span> - © 2006 Edwin Scholes III</p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#6 ec430eeb-d2de-4954-8d1b-e3511c59f378 http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-6.6.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-6.6.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Male <span class="style_1">P. carolae</span> &amp; two females - © 2006 Edwin Scholes III</p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#7 94b2eafc-1bf1-4b44-9462-96c87a36511b http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-6.17.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-6.17.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="Caption">Male <span class="style_1">P. carolae </span>&amp; five females - © 2006 Edwin Scholes III</p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#8 be034829-b0a7-4e6e-9ab1-047910266c68 http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-4.10.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-4.10.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style">P. carolae<span class="style_3"> Ballerina Dance - © 2006 Edwin Scholes III</span></p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#9 20a720db-d334-4d54-b4ee-9a35ef0e5bd5 http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-1.1.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/L-1.1.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style">Parotia lawesii<span class="style_3"> - © 2006 Edwin Scholes III</span></p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#10 b9c8be26-5188-4be9-9e17-397f5cae01fb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/Mane.4.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/Mane.4.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style">Parotia lawesii<span class="style_3"> - © 2006 Edwin Scholes III</span></p></div></div> http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias.html#11 e6c28d0e-10b1-48a5-8d46-6dc31c31a368 http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/Mane.7.jpg?derivative=thumb http://www.thebirdsofparadise.org/thebirdsofparadise.org/Parotias_files/Media/Mane.7.jpg?derivative=micro <div style="padding: 0px; " class="image_cluster_layout_style_default_External_191_30"><div class="image_cluster_layout_style_default"><p style="padding-bottom: 0pt; padding-top: 0pt; " class="paragraph_style">P. lawesii<span class="style_3"> Ballerina Dance - © 2006 Edwin Scholes III</span></p></div></div>