Birds of paradise outshine other birds with their beautiful plumage and spectacular courtship displays. Their gorgeous colors and fantastical trailing plumes gave rise to incredible stories of their origins and habits.

Not all birds within the bird of paradise taxonomic family carry the bird of paradise name; there are also sicklebills, astrapias, paradigallas, riflebirds, parotias, manucodes, and the paradise-crow. Find out more!

Comfortable in the trees, birds of paradise generally stay in the upper ranges of the forest canopy. Some species do go a bit lower and may occasionally forage on the forest floor. The birds do like to bathe, using shallow forest ponds or even bird baths in yards! Most female bird of paradise species build a cup nest of vines, twigs, leaves, and moss. The small king bird of paradise is unusual in that it nests in a tree cavity.

The feeding habits of birds of paradise are not well known, but it is believed that most species are fruit eaters. Most of these birds eat insects; they have been observed tearing apart dead wood to get to insects. Some species have been seen eating seeds, frogs, reptiles, and nestling birds.

At the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the birds of paradise are given low-iron pellets made for soft-billed birds, as well as apples, papayas, and cantaloupe. During breeding season, mealworms and crickets are added.