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Magnificent Riflebird
(Ptiloris magnificus)
: "Albert's Riflebird", "Prince Albert's Riflebird"
Size: 28-33 cm
Weight: 125-160 g (male), 90-125 g (female)
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Magnificent Riflebirds are large birds of paradise.
Their plumage is
dimorphic, i.e.
males and
females
are different.
Male
Magnificent Riflebirds have glossy, "velvet"-black upperparts,
a large, glossy-blue breast-shield with a fine black and yellow
iridescent lower edge and otherwise dark olive-grey underparts.
Long wispy plumes extend from the flanks, reaching as far as
the end of the tail.
Female
Magnificent Riflebirds have an off-white throat patch and
an otherwise light-buff front with fine, dense dark-brown barring.
The head, except for white eyebrows, the nape of the neck, the rest
of the back are all dark-olive; the tail is brownish-olive. The
flight feathers are brown.
The eyes of both sexes have brown irises. The long, narrow,
slightly downward-curved bill is grey. The legs and feet are also grey.
Juvenile males
resemble females
until they
gradually moult
into adult
plumage.
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Twitcher's tip |
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Compared with other
Australian Riflebirds, male Magnificent Riflebirds have a
much more prominent breast-shield.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Magnificent
Riflebird at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Magnificent Riflebird is available
HERE
.
Depending on authority, there are 2 or 3 extant races of
Magnificent Riflebird, nominate race "magnificus", which
is found from West Papua to all of Papua New Guinea, race
"alberti",
which resides in far north-eastern Australia, and also the
"Growling Riflebird" (Ptiloris [magnificus] intercedens).
In Australia the range of Magnificent Riflebirds, race
"alberti",
is limited. They are present only on the tip of Cape York
peninsula, QLD, both on the western side towards the Gulf of
Carpentaria and on the eastern side, where their range
goes as far to the South as Iron Range NP, QLD.
Magnificent Riflebirds have a preference for rainforest and adjacent
forest.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "alberti"
B. Hensen reports spotting Magnificent Riflebirds, race
"alberti",
at Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, in December 2018.
Click here for sighting information
found a Magnificent Riflebird, race
"alberti",
at Cooks Hut, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, in September 2020.
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Photos |
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Race "alberti"
This race is also called "Albert's Riflebird".
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ADULT |
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MALE |
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Head-on view of a male Magnificent Riflebird with
iridescence
on both crown and chest
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]
Frontal view of a male Magnificent Riflebird looking sideways
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]
Frontal view of a male Magnificent Riflebird looking sideways
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]
Close-up near-frontal/ventral view of a male Magnificent Riflebird
(photo courtesy of )
[Cooks Hut, Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, September 2023]
Lateral view of a male Magnificent Riflebird issuing its call
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a male Magnificent Riflebird
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Partly obscured frontal view of an immature male Magnificent
Riflebird - note the emergence of the first iridescent feathers
on the chest and the beginning darkening of the head and wings
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]
Partly obscured lateral view of an immature male Magnificent
Riflebird - note the emergence of the first iridescent feathers
on the chest and the beginning darkening of the head and belly
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]
Partly obscured ventral view of an immature male Magnificent
Riflebird - note the beginning darkening of the belly, while
the undertail coverts are still barred
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]
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Food, Diet |
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Male Magnificent Riflebird feeding on fruit
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP, QLD, December 2018]
These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors.
The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.