Book Reviews
BIRD FAMILIES OF THE WORLD
OXFORD (Oxford University Press)
The Birds of Paradise
In contrast to the recent field guides published by Oxford, Malaysia and China, the series ‘Bird Families of the World’ are quite simply excellent. The authority they exude by way of the depth of research, information and readability is outstanding. They are without doubt amongst the best of the proliferation of bird family monographs around.
‘The Birds of Paradise’ is a wonderful, if quite thick volume. Following a foreword by David Attenborough, a well-known bird of paradise (BoP) fanatic, there are chapters dealing with, for example: their discovery and history of their study; evolution and biogeography; ecology; their place in human traditions and culture; and conservation. These precede an extensive section on individual species accounts of the 42 species, where there are a number of colour plates depicting the species and habitats – personally I found the plates beautifully painted, if somewhat old-fashioned in style (the plate of astrapias is the most pleasing, with lovely rhythm and balance to the layout). Finally there are seven appendices dealing with, amongst others, hybrid forms and a gazetteer of where to find the various species.
Each chapter is full of well-written and fascinating detail. I particularly enjoyed the chapters about their discovery and their place in the indigenous cultures. In the former chapter we learn that a letter to the Archbishop of Salzburg from his son, published in 1523, contained ‘controversial news of the wonderful birds and the belief that they never alight but float in the air until they die and fall to earth’. This belief was a consequence of early specimens being ‘prepared New Guinea style with their legs and feet removed…. An artefact of preparation, these ‘footless’ skins led to the belief that the birds were indeed footless and that they never alighted but fed upon dew and the fresh upon which they perpetually floated. The ‘perpetual flight’ myth persisted until the end of the sixteenth century. During the 1600s intact skins complete with legs and feet, had, however arrived to resolve this issue and to confirm that the Birds of Paradise were after all mere (albeit spectacular) avian mortals with large crow-like feet. Linnaeus (1758) alluded to this story in giving the specific name apoda (=footles or legless) to the Greater Bird of Paradise’. Great stuff!
The chapter on ‘Evolution and biogeography’ is equally interesting, discussing the BoPs relationship with other families. Reference is made to the remarkably high level of interspecific and intergeneric hybridisation amongst the BoPs. It is stated that ‘this is not a surprise considering the promiscuous nature of the mating system of the males of polygynous species – they are ‘mating machines’ with apparently little or no discrimination in mate-choice’ – sounds like a number of people I know. These hybrids, initially described as species in some instances, are well-illustrated and dealt with in a lengthy appendix; it would be interesting to know the evolutionary significance, if any, of such tendencies.
The juxtaposition of the chapters dealing with ‘Birds of Paradise in Human Culture and Tradition’ and ‘Conservation, is well judged and they make thought-provoking reading. The former illustrates the veneration by the local tribes and their use in traditional ‘sing-sings’, although BoP ‘plumes do not retain their pristine colour and structure for many decades under tropical conditions, and remain socially acceptable for such use as few as four or five events of major social significance’. It is believed that as many as 80,000 males are killed each year by indigenous cultures.
However, as the latter chapter goes on to discuss, it is not this that poses the main threat for BoPs – many take care to monitor populations and to keep sustainable populations (they are clearly important to them) – rather it is external (sometimes Western) pressures that cause concern: habitat, loss through mineral exploration, and de-forestation, caused by swidden (slash-and-burn) agriculture; hunting and the trade in plumes – there is an alarming increase in the demand in the far east for live birds amongst private aviculturists. The authors put forwards a number of proposals for the conservation of the birds of paradise, as they become increasingly vulnerable. Unfortunately, in some countries it appears as though there is either a too centralised approach, without discussion or consultation with the local people (causing ill-feeling and antipathy towards the law), or a lack of central co-ordination by which local people are given all of the responsibility for their protection and the government washes its hands entirely. Whatever the approach the authors ‘believe the birds of paradise merit more attention than they do receive today’.
The future for the birds of paradise is not yet too depressing, and this book should inspire all those who care about these fantastic birds and their habitats to do something about their protection.
