Birds of Paradise - are they in danger?

Abstract

Did you recognize the bird on the cover as a bird of paradise? There are 32 different species of birds of paradise and they don’t all look like Papua New Guinea’s national emblem. Most people think of the Raggiana bird of paradise, with the brilliant red plumes, as "The bird of paradise”. Although killed in great numbers to provide head-dresses for singsings, this species is not in danger of extinction in the
immediate future because of a widespread distribution in sparsely populated areas. However in all areas where economic development is taking place, most species of birds of paradise are in danger of being so greatly reduced in numbers that eventually they will no longer be a feature of the lives and customs of the people.