Raggiana Bird-of-paradise vs Red-tailed Hawk
Paradisaea raggiana compared with Buteo jamaicensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Raggiana Bird-of-paradise | Red-tailed Hawk |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Paradisaea raggiana | Buteo jamaicensis |
| Order | Passeriformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Paradisaeidae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) | 53.0 cm (20.9 in) |
| Wingspan | 45.0 cm (17.7 in) | 124.0 cm (48.8 in) |
| Weight | 260.0 g (9.17 oz) | 1080.0 g (38.10 oz) |
| Diet | Fruit, seeds, arthropods, and small vertebrates. Males display at communal lek sites to attract females. | Small to medium mammals, especially voles, mice, and rabbits. Also takes birds, reptiles, and large … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 2-4 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise only
None
Red-tailed Hawk only
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Tropical rainforest and forest edge from lowlands to mid-montane elevations in New Guinea.
Red-tailed Hawk
Open country with scattered elevated perches such as trees, poles, and cliffs. Adaptable to farmland, grasslands, roadsides, and suburban areas.
Song & Call Comparison
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Males emit harsh, buzzy 'kraaak' calls and explosive wailing during display. Females give softer 'waak' contact calls. Display calls are loud and chaotic at leks.
Red-tailed Hawk
Iconic, raspy descending scream: 'kreeeeee-ar', often used in films for all raptors. Gives short barking 'kak' notes near nest. Juveniles beg with persistent squealing whistles.
Geographic Range & Migration
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Southern and eastern New Guinea. Endemic to Papua New Guinea.
Red-tailed Hawk
North America from Alaska to Panama, including the Caribbean. One of the most common raptors in North America.
Conservation Status
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Red-tailed Hawk
How to Tell Them Apart
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Males have a yellow crown, emerald-green throat, and spectacular cascading orange-red flank plumes. Females are brown with rufous underparts.
Stout, slightly curved, blue-grey bill
Red-tailed Hawk
Variable plumage from pale to dark morphs. Most adults have rich brown upperparts, a pale breast with a dark belly band, and the characteristic rufous-red tail.
Dark hooked bill with a yellow cere
About These Birds
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
The raggiana bird-of-paradise is the national bird of Papua New Guinea, featured on the national flag and coat of arms. Males gather at traditional display trees to perform elaborate courtship dances, hanging upside down and shaking their spectacular flank plumes. Alfred Russel Wallace first described the species in 1873.
Red-tailed Hawk
The red-tailed hawk is the most widespread and common hawk in North America. Its screaming cry is so iconic that it is often dubbed over bald eagle footage in films and television. These adaptable raptors thrive in human-altered landscapes and are a familiar sight perched along highways.