Usually when you hear the phrase “Natural History Museum” you think dry, old and dead. This is understandable, given that these museums typically house some of the driest, oldest and, well, most dead artifacts. Sometimes these dry, old and dead things are interesting; but sometimes they seem to be entirely the opposite, especially after spending longer than an hour surrounded by them. However, the Natural History Museum of Utah’s new exhibit is about creatures that are very much alive: They are called Birds of Paradise and are located in the Island of New Guinea, a small part of Australia, and a few islands nearby. There are 39 species of these birds and until recently they had not been photographed due to the density of their habitats, keeping most would-be photographers from trying.
Recently, however, Tim Laman, a photojournalist who has worked for National Geographic, and Edwin “Ed” Scholes, a grad student at the University of Kansas, decided to change that. The two worked together over the course of eight years, making a grand total of 18 expeditions, to produce the collection that will be on display at the Natural History Museum from Sept. 19 until Jan. 3. These images, videos, artifacts and sound clips capture the wonder that is the Birds of Paradise.
Each bird is entirely unique, despite having descended from only one crow-like ancestor. Some have bright coloring, others have darker. Some seem to resemble the birds we are familiar with while others are so completely different as to seem physically impossible, all of which argues for the veracity of evolutionary theory in the faces of those who have denied it. One such example of a bird that seems completely beyond the realm of possibility is Wilson’s Bird-of-Paradise.
The bird’s strangely curling tail feathers resemble the tails of pigs and don’t seem to fit on the body of a bird, not to mention the bird’s iridescent coloring and bright blue feet.
Coloring is not all that sets these birds apart; while some of the birds make sounds resembling crows, others produce sounds one would sooner attribute to manmade creations or environmental phenomena than to natural creatures. Take the Magnificent Riflebird, for example. Despite its name, the Magnificent Riflebird produces sounds more similar to water droplets.
Then there is the Lesser Bird-of-Paradise. Don’t be fooled by its beautiful golden tail feathers and mallard duck-like head; this bird’s call mimics that of a car horn and would certainly not be welcome outside your window early in the morning.
If you, like Scholes, are asking yourself “How did that happen? How did that come to be?” then the Natural History Museum is where you need to be, especially since admission to the museum is free for all U students, as long as you bring your UCard. The Birds of Paradise exhibit will be interactive and will help viewers to feel as if they are actually surrounded by these fantastic fowl whose very existence proves that Earth still holds many wonders yet to be found.