Arfak Astrapia Astrapia nigra. Original artwork from Animalia ornata.

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Watercolour and gouache on Arches paper, 515 x 1010 mm, mounted but not framed, signed and dated by artist.

Male. An inhabitant of montane rainforest of the Arfak Mountains, West Irian. The brilliant 'metallic' feathering of this bird is highly reflective of the UVb part of the spectrum (invisible to humans), this together with its extraordinary tail are used in its courtship display.