Bird of paradise \Bird" of par"a*dise\ (Zo["o]l.) The name of several very beautiful birds of the genus Paradisea and allied genera, inhabiting New Guinea and the adjacent islands. The males have brilliant colors, elegant plumes, and often remarkable tail feathers.

Note: The Great emerald (Paradisea apoda) and the Lesser emerald (P. minor) furnish many of the plumes used as ornaments by ladies; the Red is P. rubra or sanguinea; the Golden is Parotia aurea or sexsetacea; the King is Cincinnurus regius. The name is also applied to the longer-billed birds of another related group (Epimachin[ae]) from the same region. The Twelve-wired (Seleucides alba) is one of these. See Paradise bird, and Note under Apod.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)