Mature Flâneur

Caged with Birds of Paradise

Alone in a nature park in Papua New Guinea

Raggiana Bird of Paradise. All photos by Tim Ward

I stepped from the manicured park lawn through a mesh-metal door. Suddenly, I was in a different world: a tropical forest, filled with lush green trees, creepers and vines, and everywhere the cries of birds.

Weedleeldeedleeldee.

I turned and looked up to where the shrill, flute like trilling was coming from. By the mesh roof of the enclosure – which was an aviary about the size of a tennis court – I spied male Raggiana Bird of Paradise. Ho-lee crap!

Birds of paradise are world renown for their flamboyant coloring and intricate mating dances, and they are native only to Papua New Guinea. While of course I was expecting to find them here, in the capital city’s nature park, I didn’t expect to be ambushed by a Raggiana bird in my first few steps into the aviary. (You can see photos of the bird in action here, as well as listen to its call).

The Raggiana Bird of Paradise is so iconic of PNG’s unique wildlife that it’s on the nation’s flag, on every coin, and it is used as a symbol for everything from the…