Paradise or Silky Crows

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Paradise Crow

The Paradise Crow, Lycocorax pyrrhopterus, also known as the Silky Crow, is a medium-sized (approximately 34cm long) crow-like bird of paradise with all-dark, soft and silky plumage. It has a black bill, crimson eyes, and a call reminiscent of a dog’s bark. Males and females are very similar. The female is slightly smaller than the male.

One of the few monogamous birds of paradise, the Paradise Crow is endemic to lowland forests of the Maluku islands in Indonesia. The diet consists mainly of fruits and arthropods. Three subspecies are recognized, with the nominate subspecies having the least or no white patch on the inner flight feathers.

A common species throughout its habitat range, the Paradise Crow is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.

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