Elaborate Plumage and Complex Mating Rituals

Birds of Paradise refers to birds from the family Paradisaeidae of the order of Passeriformes. It includes 42 species and 15 genera. Most live in New Guinea. An abundance of food enabled the males to focus on attracting a mate, explaining their elaborate plumage and complex mating rituals.

Watercolour of two of Carola's Parotia

Ellis Rowan, Carola’s Parotias (Parotia carolae), c.1917, nla.cat-vn2686799

Watercolour of Male and Female Superb Birds of Paradise

Ellis Rowan, Male and Female Superb Birds of Paradise (Lophorina superba), c.1917, nla.cat-vn2687413

Rowan has captured a male Superb Bird of Paradise in the middle of his particularly elaborate courtship dance. Males usually outnumber the females, making the males work very hard to win female affection.

Watercolour of two Brown Sicklebills

Ellis Rowan, Brown Sicklebills (Epimachus meyeri), c.1917, nla.cat-vn2687390 

In this painting, we can glimpse Rowan’s passion for flowers and insects. It also highlights her sophisticated compositional skills.

Watercolour of two Raggiana Birds of Paradise

Ellis Rowan, most likely Raggiana Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea raggiana), c.1917, nla.cat-vn2687189 

These birds are most likely Raggiana Birds of Paradise, now the national bird of Papua New Guinea which is depicted on the nation’s flag.

Watercolour of Male and Female Arfak Astrapia

Ellis Rowan, Male and Female Arfak Astrapia (Astrapia nigra), c.1917, nla.cat-vn1165239

Female Birds of Paradise do not possess the bright colours and elaborate feathers of their male counterparts. These male characteristics are designed to impress the females.

Most likely the watercolour of The Empress of Germany’s Bird of Paradise

Ellis Rowan, most likely The Empress of Germany’s Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea raggiana augustavictoriae), or Raggiana Intermedia Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea raggiana intermedia), c.1917, nla.cat-vn2687227 

Here we see an animated Bird of Paradise showing off its impressive plumes. The idiosyncratic colours and details make it hard to identify the species.

Watercolour of Emperor Bird of Paradise

Ellis Rowan, Emperor Bird of Paradise (Paradisaea guilielmi), c.1917, nla.cat-vn1164861 

Emperor Birds of Paradise are not as colourful as some of their relatives; however, their fine flank feathers and courtship rituals are impressive. 

Watercolour of male and female Princess Stephanie’s Birds of Paradise

Ellis Rowan, Male and Female Princess Stephanie’s Birds of Paradise, also known as Stephanie’s Astrapia (Astrapia stephaniae), c.1917, nla.cat-vn1165018 

This is a captured species of Bird of Paradise that is known as much for the male’s long tail feathers as for its iridescent head feathers. 

Watercolour of two Buff-tailed Sicklebills

Ellis Rowan, Buff-tailed Sicklebills (Drepanornis albertisi), c.1917, nla.cat-vn1164951

Watercolour of two Blue Birds of Paradise

Ellis Rowan, Blue Birds of Paradise (Paradisaea rudolphi), c.1917, nla.cat-vn2686637 

Here, Rowan has devised a clever composition to capture a distinctive feature of Blue Birds of Paradise: their fine flank feathers are amber on top and pale blue underneath.

Watercolour of two Standardwing Birds of Paradise

Ellis Rowan, Standardwing Birds of Paradise, also known as Wallace Birds of Paradise (Semioptera wallacii), c.1917, nla.cat-vn1165224 

The vivid blue-green breast shield and long, white plumes of the Wallace Bird of Paradise come into their own during courtship displays.

Watercolour of Male and Female Magnificent Riflebirds

Ellis Rowan, Male and Female Magnificent Riflebirds (Ptiloris magnificus), c.1917, nla.cat-vn2687157 

Rowan often included insects in her work, such as in this picture.

Watercolour of Curl-crested Manucode

Ellis Rowan, Curl-crested Manucode (Manucodia comrii), c.1917, nla.cat-vn2687913 

The Curl-crested Manucode is a Bird of Paradise noted for its vocal abilities, rather than its feathers. Birds of Paradise used to be considered relatives of Bowerbirds, however it is now understood that they are more closely related to the Corvidae (Crow) family, which can be seen in the resemblance between Manucodes and Crows. 

Explore the work of Ellis Rowan with the National Library

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