Black-billed Sicklebill vs Wilson's Bird-of-paradise

Drepanornis albertisi compared with Cicinnurus respublica

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Black-billed Sicklebill Wilson's Bird-of-paradise
Scientific Name Drepanornis albertisi Cicinnurus respublica
Order Passeriformes Passeriformes
Family Paradisaeidae Paradisaeidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Near Threatened
Length — 16.0 cm (6.3 in)
Wingspan 29.5 cm (11.6 in) 19.0 cm (7.5 in)
Weight 113.0 g (3.99 oz) 55.0 g (1.94 oz)
Diet -- Fruit and insects gleaned from the forest canopy and subcanopy. Particularly favors figs.
Clutch Size 1-2 --
Population Trend — —

Size Comparison

Body Length
Black-billed Sicklebill —
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise 16.0 cm
Wingspan
Black-billed Sicklebill 29.5 cm
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise 19.0 cm
Weight
Black-billed Sicklebill 113.0 g
Wilson's Bird-of-paradise 55.0 g

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Black-billed Sicklebill only

None

Wilson's Bird-of-paradise only

None

Wilson's Bird-of-paradise

Lowland and hill forests on the small islands of Waigeo and Batanta in the Raja Ampat archipelago, Indonesia.

Song & Call Comparison

Black-billed Sicklebill

Wilson's Bird-of-paradise

Song

Male gives a harsh, nasal 'waah' or 'eeah' from display perch. Song is poorly documented in wild. Also produces mechanical rattling wing sounds during display flights.

Geographic Range & Migration

Black-billed Sicklebill

Wilson's Bird-of-paradise

Endemic to the islands of Waigeo and Batanta off the northwestern tip of New Guinea, Indonesia.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Black-billed Sicklebill

Near Threatened

Wilson's Bird-of-paradise

How to Tell Them Apart

Black-billed Sicklebill

Wilson's Bird-of-paradise

Plumage

Males have a brilliant red back, yellow nape, turquoise blue bare crown, and green breast shield. Violet-blue curled tail wires. Females are brownish with bare blue crown.

Bill

Short, slightly curved greyish bill

About These Birds

Black-billed Sicklebill

The Black-billed Sicklebill is a large bird of paradise of New Guinea's montane forests, with the male displaying deep brown plumage, a long tail, and an extraordinarily long, strongly curved black bill used to probe for nectar and extract grubs from bark. It inhabits primary mid-montane forests across the main island of New Guinea. It feeds on arthropods, nectar, and fruits.

Wilson's Bird-of-paradise

Wilson's bird-of-paradise is one of the most extraordinarily colored birds on Earth. Males meticulously clear a patch of forest floor as a display court, removing every leaf and twig. The species was virtually unknown to science until the late 20th century due to its restricted island range.

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