Ptiloris

Genus of birds

The genus Ptiloris consists of four allopatric species of birds in the family Paradisaeidae. These birds of paradise are commonly known as riflebirds, so named for the likeness of their black velvety plumage to the uniform of the Rifle Brigade. Alternatively, the bird's cry is similar to a rifle being fired and hitting its target

The genus Ptiloris was introduced in 1825 by the English naturalist William John Swainson for a single species, the paradise riflebird. This is now the type species. The genus name, Ptiloris [pronounced TI lo ris], means "feather nose" from the Greek ptilon (feather or down) and rhis (nostril). It refers to the frontal feathers hiding the nostrils. The four species are the magnificent riflebird (P. magnifica (Vieillot 1819) – magnificent or splendid), growling riflebird (P. intercedens Sharpe 1882 – referring to its distribution between the two subspecies of P. magnifica), paradise riflebird (P. paradisea, Swainson 1825 – paradise) and Victoria's riflebird (P. victoriae Gould 1849 – after Queen Victoria). The birds of paradise are thought to have originated 24–30 million years ago and belong to the radiation of passerines that occurred in Australia during the last 60 million years. As Australia become more arid over the last several million years, the birds of paradise withdrew to the regional rainforests of New Guinea and eastern Australia. Adults have short broad wings with rounded tips, short tails, and long sturdy legs with long powerful toes and hooked claws. Victoria's riflebird has been recorded in eucalypt and melaleuca dominated wet sclerophyll forests and woodlands, the landward edges of mangroves and swamp woodlands, and occasionally the temperate Nothofagus forests. While riflebirds are mostly solitary, small flocks can be seen on fruiting trees when in season. When feeding their young, female riflebirds will catch proportionally more arthropods than fruit to supply their growing young with foods rich in proteins and lipids. Males may take proportionally more easily obtained and energy rich fruit to allow them to display for longer. The population trends for P. paradisea and victoriae are reported as declining but not approaching the threshold for vulnerable status.