新几内亚 太平洋南部一个偏远的热带小岛 New Guinea, a remote tropical island in the South Pacific.
茂密的森林和山麓丘陵成了很多野生生物的栖息之地 Its forests and foothills are home to a wealth of wildlife,
包括一些自然中难得的奇观 including some of nature’s most flamboyant show offs,
美丽的天堂鸟 The spectacular birds of paradise.
它们形状大小不一 They come in all shapes and sizes,
不过有一个共同的目标 寻找伴侣 but share a common goal - they need to impress a mate.
一些是独舞 一些是群舞 Some dance alone, others en masse.
斗舞竞争激烈 And dance competitions can be tense affairs.
日本摄影家岛田纠正在寻找这种神秘鸟的路上 Japanese photographer Tadashi Shimada is on a quest to film these elusive extroverts,
揭开天堂鸟跳舞的秘密 and uncover the secret world of the birds that are designed to dance.
新几内亚是地球上第二大的岛屿 New Guinea is the second largest island on earth.
布满了高山丛林 It’s a patchwork of mountains and jungle.
一眼望去 都是森林 Forests stretch as far as the eye can see.
大部分的岛屿都笼罩在迷雾中 Much of the land is shrouded in mist.
降雨量多... 热带森林...地势偏远 The islands heavy rainfall… tropical forests… and remote location
形成了独特的生态系统 have contributed to the development of a unique eco-system.
世界上最美的一些鸟就栖息在这 This is home to some of the world’s most beautiful birds,
惊艳的天堂鸟 The spectacular, birds of paradise.
将近40种不同的物种在这生活 却没有两只长得相似 Around forty different species live here, and no two look alike.
只有雄性鸟才会长有美丽的羽毛 跳美丽的舞蹈 Dramatic displays and elaborate plumage are reserved for males only.
不过不管它们羽毛多么美丽 舞蹈多么惊艳 But however flamboyant their feathers and footwork,
它们都有一个共同的目标 吸引异性 they all share a common goal - to attract a mate.
日本野生动物摄影师岛田纠 Japanese wildlife photographer Tadashi Shimada
多年来一直对天堂鸟情有独钟 has been fascinated by birds of paradise for many years.
他去过新几内亚几次 He has visited New Guinea several times,
他这次重游 希望能对神秘的天堂鸟有更多了解 and now he’s back hoping to discover more about these enigmatic birds.
对岛田正*来说 这次旅途很特别 For Tadashi, this trip is extra special.
他希望能拍到很多不同的物种 He hopes to film many different species,
不过他最想找到的是 but there’s one above all he’s looking for,
传说中的蓝色天堂鸟 The legendary blue bird of paradise.
当初是因为一张蓝色天堂鸟的照片 It was a photograph of a blue bird
引起了他对天堂鸟的兴趣 which first sparked his interest in birds of paradise.
他一直希望能亲眼见到 He’s dreamt of seeing one for years,
这次他或许能实现愿望 this could be his chance to realise his dream.
岛田正开始朝中央高地 As his journey begins,
山林茂密的地方走去 Tadashi heads into the mountainous region of the islands central highlands.
山上笼罩着迷雾 A blanket of mist hangs over the hills.
低地上升起的暖空气迅速降温 形成水珠 Warm air rising from the lowlands cools quickly creating moisture
滋养着雨林 which feeds the rainforest.
这种环境形成了独特景观 The conditions create a unique environment,
雾林 the Cloud Forest.
湿度可以达到百分之九十 Humidity can reach ninety percent.
树冠下面 要凉爽得多 Beneath the canopy, it’s much cooler.
因为空气湿润 树木周围都覆盖着一层厚厚的青苔 Trees are coated with thick layers of moss nurtured by the moist air.
岛田正来到这片雾林 Tadashi has come to the Cloud forest
希望能找到一种特别的鸟 in the hope of finding one bird in particular,
绶带长尾风鸟 ‘a Ribbon-tailed Astrapia’.
他环视四周 各种声音夹杂在一起 越来越响亮 A cacophony of calls grows louder as his eyes scan the trees.
进入森林 他走得越深 The deeper he ventures into the forest,
就更像回到了过去 the more it seems like he is going back in time.
所有现代的杂念都抛却了 All sense of the modern world is left behind.
突然远处的树上传来扑闪羽毛的声音 Suddenly there’s a flurry of movement on a distant tree.
将近一米的尾羽在风中飘荡 Spectacular tail feathers nearly a meter long waft in the breeze.
是一只雄性绶带长尾风鸟 It’s a male Ribbon-tailed Astrapia,
比岛田正想象得要漂亮得多 and it’s even more striking than Tadashi imagined.
相比它的身体大小 它的尾羽长度是世界上鸟类中最长的 It has the longest tail feathers in relation to body size of any bird in the world.
绶带长尾风鸟只在新几内亚中部高地 Ribbon-tailed Astrapia are only found here,
才能找到 in the central highlands of New Guinea.
这只鸟似乎对新来的陌生人漠不关心 看起来好像很饿 The bird seems oblivious to the stranger in his midst, and looks hungry.
它主要吃水果和坚果 His main diet is fruits and nuts,
不过它偶尔也喜欢吃昆虫 but he’s happy to eat the occasional insect too.
它用喙像铲子一样寻找藏在苔藓中的虫子 He uses his beak like a shovel to dig up bugs hiding under moss.
岛田正看得入迷了 Tadashi watches in wonder.
相比起大部分的鸟类 天堂鸟成熟得很慢 Compared to most birds, birds of paradise are slow to mature.
雄性鸟类要花费五年时间才能长齐漂亮的羽毛 It can take males up to five years to develop their extravagant plumage.
这么长的尾羽也很可能被东西挂住 Such long tail feathers also have a tendency to get tangled up.
因此在很多地方也很容易被抓 Such an encumbered bird would be easy prey in many places,
不过长尾风鸟在这片岛屿上很少有天敌 but the Astrapia has few natural predators on the island.
它可以尽情展示自己的美来吸引异性 He can afford to wear what he wants to attract a mate.
它甚至还有"最好的一面" He even has a ‘best side’.
它的羽毛从不同的角度看 有不同的颜色 His feathers change colour depending on the angle they’re viewed from.
不过它最美的地方是尾羽 But his crowning glory is the tail feathers
它飞走时 尾羽像丝巾一样飘着 which float behind him like a veil as he flies away.
岛田正朝着雾林深处走去 Tadashi heads deeper into the cloud forest.
大部分的天堂鸟都有自己的舞台 Most birds of paradise have a stage
表演求偶舞 where they perform their courtship dances.
一些鸟在地上表演 一些则在树上 Some display on the ground, others in the trees.
岛田正希望见到绶带长尾风鸟在哪表演求偶舞 怎么跳求偶舞 Tadashi hopes to see where the Ribbon-tailed Astrapia displays, and how.
不过他没想到会见到这个 But he didn’t expect to see this.
一群雄绶带长尾风鸟聚集在树上 A large flock of male Ribbon-tails are gathered in a tree.
更多鸟陆陆续续飞来 More arrive all the time.
它们叽叽喳喳 争夺着最适合栖息的位置 They squabble and squawk as they fight over the best place to perch.
每个树枝上至少停了十只鸟 There are at least ten crowding the branches already.
岛田正很好奇 怎么会有这么多只鸟聚集在一棵树上 Tadashi is intrigued why so many are attracted to this one tree.
他很想走近些 搞清楚 He’s keen to get nearer to try and find out,
近距离拍摄这些鸟 and to film the birds up close.
不幸的是 天气不好 Unfortunately the weather is against him.
雨倾盆而下... 随之迷雾笼罩了森林 Rain sweeps in…. and brings mist with it.
他只能看着树从视野中慢慢消失 He can only watch as the tree fades from view.
第二天清早 迷雾开始散去 森林又恢复了活力 Early next day the mist begins to clear and the forest comes to life.
新几内亚中部高地降雨丰富 In New Guinea the central highlands receive the largest amount of rainfall.
下雨主要是在下午 It rains most afternoons,
所以上午是拍摄的好时机 so morning is usually the best time for Tadashi to film.
岛田正现在只能期望长尾风鸟回来 All he can do now is hope the Astrapia return.
幸运的是 它们没有让他失望 Luckily, they don’t disappoint.
第一只来的停在附近... The first arrivals perch nearby…
然后朝它们最喜欢的树飞去 before heading across to their favourite tree.
它们翅膀扑打的声音夹杂在一起 The strange noise of their wings rubbing together
给空气中增添了一丝优雅 as they fly adds to the ethereal atmosphere.
雄天堂鸟依靠它们的求偶舞来吸引雌鸟 Male birds of paradise rely on their courtship displays to attract a mate.
一些雄鸟聚在"求偶场"上 Some males gather together in groups called ‘Leks’
同时表演求偶舞 and display at the same time.
鸟儿在树枝间飞来飞去 炫耀它们的尾羽 Birds flit between branches to show off their tail feathers.
它们摆出各种姿势 用嘴整理羽毛 准备这项大事 They posture and preen as they get ready for the main event.
最后 它们的观众来了 Finally, their audience arrives.
一只雌鸟飞到了树上 A female makes her way to the tree.
好像它对食物更感兴趣 没有注意到雄鸟 It looks like she’s more interested in food than male company,
不过它的到来引起了一阵轰动... 产生了巨大的反应 But her arrival causes a big stir… and a dramatic reaction.
一只雄鸟开始在它面前改变形状 One of the males starts to change shape before her eyes.
让自己慢慢膨胀 He puffs himself up.
在树枝上跳舞 And dances on the branch.
这都是为了吸引雌鸟 It’s all for the females benefit.
不只是它想引起雌鸟的注意力 And he’s not the only one keen to make an impression.
所有的雄鸟都开始跳舞 All the males start to display.
岛田正确定这地方就是"求偶场" Tadashi has no doubt this tree is the sight of a lek.
虽然竞争激烈 Although competition is fierce,
但求偶场提高了雄鸟找到伴侣的几率 leks increase the male’s chances of attracting a mate,
不过只有一只雄鸟能胜出 But there can only be one winner.
雄鸟们使出浑身解数 期望能引起雌鸟的注意 The birds do everything they can to be noticed.
它们常常为了最好的求偶场所而争吵 Fights break out over the best places to display.
这都是求偶竞争的一部分 It’s all part of the serious business of courtship.
舞蹈时间长 喧闹... 看起来让人筋疲力尽 Dances are long, noisy… and look exhausting.
迷雾重新笼罩森林时 天堂鸟就从视野中消失了 As the mist returns, the dancing birds disappear from view.
不过岛田正很开心 But Tadashi is delighted.
他不仅看到了绶带长尾风鸟 Not only has he seen a Ribbon-tailed Astrapia,
还拍到了求偶舞 he’s filmed their courtship dance.
岛田正到新几内亚一周了 A week has passed since Tadashi arrived in New Guinea.
阳光从云中透出来 The sun peers out between the clouds.
就在这时 植物开始生长 As if on cue, plants burst into life.
塔达希*继续他的征途 Tadashi continues his journey.
他找到了一块小空地 He arrives at a small clearing
当地人把树砍了 用来建房子 where local people have felled trees to build homes.
热带雨林通常见不到阳光 Tropical forests normally shut out sunlight
空地的环境让人耳目一新 clearings create a different environment.
阳光明媚 果树都长得茂盛 Bright light and warm sunshine encourage fruit trees to grow
吸引了很多野生生物 which attract a host of wildlife.
对塔达希来说 他能看到更多自己喜欢的鸟类 For Tadashi, it’s a chance to see more of the birds he loves,
不过这么多鸟在开阔地 也吸引了捕食者 But so many birds out in the open also attract predators.
一只栗鸢在森林上空盘旋 A Brahminy Kite scours the forest for food.
一只长有羽冠的天堂鸟想找地方藏起来 A crested bird of paradise looks for a place to hide.
它那黄色的羽毛很容易让人发现 Its bright orange feathers easily give it away.
而长尾风鸟则更容易隐藏 A Stephanie's Astrapia blends in more easily.
在所有的天堂鸟中 Of all birds of paradise,
长尾风鸟生活的海拔最高 很难见到 Stephanie’s Astrapia live at the highest altitude, and are rarely seen.
它们的尾羽价值很高 Their tail feathers were once highly prized,
数量也因为偷猎者急剧下降 and their numbers decimated by hunters.
棕镰嘴鸟却很常见 A Brown Sicklebill isn’t as rare,
不过它却很突出 but it does stand out.
它是天堂鸟中最大的物种 It is one of the largest bird-of-paradise.
这是一只雌鸟 从它的名字可以看出 This is a female, and as her name suggests,
它的嘴弯得像镰刀一样 her bill is bent like a sickle.
很适合从坚硬的东西中取出果实 It is the perfect shape for extracting food from hard to reach places.
一只雄棕镰嘴鸟坐在旁边 A male brown sicklebill sits nearby.
它的样貌在天堂鸟中并不突出 His appearance is rather low key for a bird of paradise,
不过它在样貌上的不足 but what he lacks in looks,
在别的地方弥补了 he makes up for in other ways.
它的求偶歌... 听起来像机器枪一样 His courtship song… sounds like a machine gun.
目的是吸引雌鸟... 吓跑敌人 Its purpose is to entice females… and frighten rivals.
这个当地人拍摄的短片 This film taken by a local cameraman
让我们看到了镰嘴鸟的求偶仪式 gives an insight into the Sicklebills courtship ritual.
藏在雄鸟翅膀下的是引人注目的羽毛 Hidden beneath the male’s wings is striking plumage
只有在雌鸟面前 它才会展现出来 which he only displays in the presence of a female.
它站得很高 疯狂地摇摆 He stands tall, and shakes frantically.
动作很大 而且必须这样 It’s a dramatic gesture, and needs to be.
雌天堂鸟是有名地难取悦 Female birds-of-paradise are notoriously hard to please.
雄鸟将羽毛全部展开 The male pulls out all the stops.
全部舒展后 几乎让人认不出 At full stretch he’s almost unrecognizable and,
好像也让人难以抗拒 it seems, irresistible.
对塔达希来说 这是一个绝佳的机会 For Tadashi, it’s a golden opportunity.
他以前从来没找到这么适合拍天堂鸟的地方 He’s never found such a good place to film birds of paradise before.
在新几内亚呆了一周后 After a week in New Guinea,
塔达希拍了很多稀有物种和求偶舞 Tadashi has filmed many stunning species and displays.
现在他希望能实现自己的梦想 Now he hopes to fulfill his ambition and film the bird
拍到那只激起他灵感的那只鸟... 蓝天堂鸟 which first inspired him… the blue bird-of-paradise.
塔达希离开了迷雾山林 Tadashi leaves the mist and mountains behind him
一路向岛屿地势低处走去 and makes his way down to the lower levels of the island.
根据当地村民 在这见过蓝天堂鸟 According to local villagers, blue birds-of-paradise are sometimes seen here.
当然 他没有等太久 Sure enough, he isn’t kept waiting long.
就发现高高的树上站着一只雄蓝天堂鸟 Perched high on a tree is a male blue bird-of-paradise.
塔达希欣喜若狂 Tadashi is overjoyed.
他还是第一次在自然中见到 It’s his first sighting of one in the wild.
塔达希将树枝比作事雄鸟的"歌曲海报" Tadashi refers to the branch as the male’s ‘song post’.
附近还有很多吃的 There’s plenty to eat nearby too.
从前面看 它看起来那么不显眼 From the front, he looks fairly inconspicuous.
直到它转过来 才发现它是那么美 It’s not until he turns to the side that he reveals his true beauty.
黄色的羽毛 飘逸的尾羽为它的形象增分不少 Orange plumes and flowing tail feathers enhance his image.
不过它光有外貌 But he can’t rely on good looks alone.
它也召唤着雌鸟 He calls for a mate as well.
很快 它就有了同伴 In no time at all, he has company.
一只雌鸟飞来了 被它的叫声吸引 或想来觅食 A female is lured, either by his call, or a chance to feed
它们身体颜色一样 She has the same body colour,
不过它没有装饰性的羽毛 but she doesn’t have decorative feathers
不过它对雄鸟不感兴趣 … And she doesn’t have any interest in him.
希望雄鸟能在别处找到伴侣 Hopefully he’ll find romance somewhere else.
塔达希不会忘记这天 For Tadashi, it’s been a day he won’t forget.
他终于见到了蓝天堂鸟 At long last he’s seen a blue bird of paradise.
天堂鸟几世纪以来 一只吸引着人们 Birds of Paradise have fascinated people for centuries.
它们在十六世纪早期最先被葡萄牙探险家 They were first taken to Europe in the early sixteenth century
斐迪南 麦哲伦带到欧洲 by the Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan.
收藏家和时尚业 Their feathers were highly sort by collectors,
将它们的羽毛详细分类 and by the fashion industry.
如今禁止猎天堂鸟 因为它们受法律保护 Today hunting birds of paradise is banned and they are protected by law.
大约有40多种天堂鸟生活在新几内亚 It is thought around forty different species live here in New Guinea,
这棵树上栖息了两种 … And this tree is home to two of them;
大极乐鸟和小天堂鸟 the Greater and Raggiana birds of paradise.
和长尾风鸟一样 Like the Ribbon-tailed Astrapia,
它们的雄鸟都会成堆表演 males of both species display in groups.
有时它们一起表演 Sometimes they all display together.
雄鸟们在树上跳得树枝摇晃 Branches shake under the weight of gyrating males.
终于一只雌鸟进入了视线 Finally a female enters the fray.
现在雄鸟才真正开始炫耀 Now the males really start to show-off.
一只雄大极乐鸟试图用敏捷的舞蹈来打动雌鸟 A male Greater bird of paradise tries to shine with some nimble moves.
雌鸟好像很喜欢 The female seems impressed.
交配时间很短 尤其是经历了这样的求偶过程 Mating is a brief affair, especially after such a buildup.
不过不是所有的雄鸟都喜欢一起表演 But not all males like to share the limelight.
有一些更喜欢独自跳求偶舞 比如萨克森极乐鸟 Some prefer to go it alone, like the King of Saxony.
它有两根引人注目的羽毛 He’s crowned with two magnificent plumes,
吸引了雌鸟的注意力 and they’ve attracted female attention.
雌鸟的样子深深地吸引了雄鸟 Her appearance has a sudden and dramatic effect.
它似乎变得疯狂起来 He seems to go into a frenzy.
好像光跳还不行 它开始唱起来 As if his moves weren’t frantic enough, he sings as well.
不过尽管它使出浑身解数 雌鸟还是不感兴趣 But despite his best efforts, the female’s just not interested.
雄性华美极乐鸟是另一种 The male superb bird is another performer
喜欢自己单独跳舞的鸟 who likes the stage to himself.
华美极乐鸟相对比较小 Super birds of paradise are relatively small,
不过雄鸟必须让雌鸟印象深刻 but males need to make a big impression.
通常雌鸟数量较少 There are an unusually low number of females,
所以竞争特别激烈 so competition is especially fierce.
所以才有了世界上鸟类最壮观的求偶舞表演 It’s lead to one of the most elaborate courtship displays in the bird world.
它跳舞时 翅膀发出刺耳的滴答声 As he dances, his wings make a sharp clicking sound
它的舞蹈是想表现出自己的强壮 活力和生殖力 His display is designed to show his strength, stamina and virility.
可惜它的舞伴并不感兴趣 Sadly his dance partners aren’t always impressed.
不是所有的天堂鸟都在树上求偶 Not all birds of paradise display in trees.
缺少地面的天敌意味着一些鸟 The lack of natural ground predators mean some feel safe
在森林地面上求偶也很安全 to use the forest floor instead,
比如雄性丽色风鸟 Like the male magnificent bird of paradise.
它们很小 经常听到它们的声音 却很少见到 They are so small; they are heard more often than they are seen -
它们注重细节 and they are sticklers for details.
这只雄鸟找到了一块可用于作为舞台的空地 This male has found a clearing which might work as a stage,
不过它现在还不满意 but he’s not happy with it yet.
如果它要吸引雌鸟 If he’s going to entice a female,
就要收拾一下空地 it’s vital it’s right.
它把所有可能阻碍的东西都搬走了 He gets rid of anything that might hinder his performance.
不只是需要清理下森林的地面 It’s not only the forest floor which needs preparing.
如果它的观众看不到它的表演 那有舞台也没用 There’s no point having a stage if his audience can’t see it
任何潜在的阻碍物都去掉了 Any potential obstructions are removed.
树枝和树丫都折掉了... Branches and twigs are stripped bare…..
正好此时 Just in the nick of time.
雌鸟像其他所有的雌性天堂鸟一样穿着保守 The female is more conservatively dressed like all female birds of paradise,
却挑三拣四 and just as choosy.
观众来了... 又一场表演开始了 The audience settles … and another show begins.
雌鸟似乎犹豫不决... 所以雄鸟使出浑身解数 She seems unsure… so he pulls out all the stops.
每个转弯都是精心设计的 Each twist and turn is carefully choreographed.
现在雌鸟全心地关注着它 Now he has her full attention.
盯着它的每个动作 She scrutinizes his every move.
它开始加快步伐 His display gathers pace,
不过遗憾的事 雌鸟还是不信服 But sadly for him, she’s not convinced.
观众走了 它还是继续跳舞 He’s lost his audience, but carries on dancing.
练习求偶舞 It’s all good practice.
新几内亚的天堂鸟为何能 The reason why New Guinea’s birds-of-paradise
发展出一套如此美妙的舞蹈 一直吸引着人们去探索 have developed such dramatic displays has intrigued people for years.
秘密在于岛屿的地理位置 The secret lies in the geography of the island.
脊柱上蔓延着巨大的山峰 A huge mountain range runs long its spine.
最高的山峰将近5千米 Its tallest peak is nearly ,5000 meters high.
太平洋湿润的空气遇到山峰 Humid air from the Pacific collides with the mountains
形成降雨 creating a huge amount of rainfall.
新几内亚是世界上最湿润的地方之一 New Guinea is one of the world’s wettest places.
多雨和热带气候滋养着雨林 A combination of heavy rain and tropical heat nurture the rainforests,
提供了一年的食物 and provide constant food all year round.
再加上天敌少 Coupled with the low number of natural predators,
给天堂鸟塑造了相对轻松的环境 it’s created a relatively relaxing lifestyle for birds-of-paradise.
也意味着它们可以将更多注意力放在更重要的事上 It means they can concentrate on the more important things in life,
比如寻找爱人 like looking for love.
塔达希将要完成自己的旅途 Tadashi nears the end of his trip.
他拍到的照片比预想中得多 He’s filmed even more species than he hoped too
不过他还有一个梦想 but one sight still eludes him.
蓝天堂鸟的求偶舞 The courtship dance of the blue bird.
最近的降雨让他最后的征途更艰难 Recent rainfall makes the last leg of his journey even harder.
大部分的蓝天堂鸟都住在深林中 Most blue birds-of-paradise live deep in the forest
大部分都是沼泽 and much of the ground is a quagmire.
不过他走得方向绝对没错 But he’s definitely going in the right direction.
都能听到蓝天堂鸟的叫声 He can hear a blue bird calling.
这里丛林密布 In such dense growth,
很难分辨叫声的来源 it’s hard to tell where the call is coming from
直到他听到了羽毛的拍打声 until he spots a flicker of movement.
他静悄悄地走进 He creeps closer as quietly as he can.
透过树叶看到 Just visible through the leaves,
一只雄蓝天堂鸟整理着自己的羽毛 a male blue bird fans his feathers.
好像是为跳求偶舞准备 He looks like he’s preparing to display.
塔达希的梦想马上就要实现了 Tadashi’s dream could be tantalizingly close.
突然意想不到的事发生了 Suddenly something unexpected happens -
它飞到了森林地上 it flies down to the forest floor.
丛林让塔达希 很难看到 The bushes make it difficult for Tadashi
发生了什么 to see exactly what’s happening,
不过鸟很忙碌 but the bird is very busy.
经过半小时的忙碌 鸟就飞走了 After half an hour of frantic activity, it disappears.
等他确定蓝天堂鸟飞走后 When he is sure the blue bird has gone,
塔达希就往前去查看 Tadashi moves in for a closer look.
这只鸟之前呆过的地方是一片小空地 The place which has preoccupied the bird is a small clearing.
蓝天堂鸟一般都在树上跳求偶舞 Blue birds-of-paradise are known to display in trees.
这片森林的空地 This clearing on the forest floor,
意味着一些别的 suggests something else.
树叶都被折掉了 地面小心地整理过了 Twigs have been stripped of leaves and the ground carefully tidied.
塔达希认为这个舞台可能是蓝天堂鸟整理了的 Tadashi points out it looks like the stage the magnificent bird-of-paradise prepared.
他开始想蓝天堂鸟 He starts to wonder if Blue birds-of-paradise
表演时是不是用这些树和地面当作舞台 use the trees and the ground when they display.
如果他猜对了 那将是突破性的发现 If he’s right, it would be a groundbreaking discovery.
不过如果他要验证自己的想法 But if he’s going to find out,
就要耐心点 好好掩饰自己 he’ll need to be patient, and well camouflaged.
他现在唯一能做的就是等待 All he can do now… is wait.
一天过去了 The day disappears,
没有任何蓝天堂鸟的踪迹或声音 and there’s no more sight or sound of the blue bird.
不过塔达希没有放弃 But Tadashi isn’t giving up.
第二天早上一早他就回来埋伏好 Early next morning he’s back in the hide.
等待是值得的 蓝天堂鸟回来了 It was worth the wait. The blue bird is back.
它小心地整理自己... 准备开工了 He preens himself carefully … and prepares to go to work.
开始收拾昨晚掉下的那些死树叶 He starts to tidy up the dead leaves which have fallen overnight.
塔达希确信它是在为跳求偶舞准备 Tadashi has little doubt that he is preparing his stage in readiness for a show.
它衔走了更多树叶 He shreds more leaves from branches,
搬走了所有可能阻碍它表演的东西 and moves anything that might obscure his performance.
还是第一次拍到蓝天堂鸟这么做 This is the first time a blue bird of paradise has been filmed doing this.
塔达希不只完成了自己的梦想 Not only has Tadashi fulfilled a lifelong ambition,
也是一项重大发现 it’s an important breakthrough
让我们更了解蓝天堂鸟的求偶行为 in understanding blue bird of paradise courtship behaviour.
蓝天堂鸟最后收拾好了自己的舞台 The blue bird puts the final touches to his stage,
像所有的演员一样 宣布表演要开始了 and, like all good showmen, announces the show is about to start.
它的表演让他很激动 His performance makes the blood rush to his head.
它用一根树枝当作绳索 He uses a branch like a tightrope,
像蝙蝠一样悬挂在舞台上 and hangs like a bat above the stage.
展开翅膀 展示自己艳丽的羽毛 Spreading his wings reveals his spectacular plumage.
它细腻的羽毛的阳光下闪闪发光 His fine feathers shimmer in the sunlight.
表演令人窒息 It’s an enchanting display,
让人来评价 … And it’s being judged.
现在它开始进入状态了 Now he really goes to town.
它挥动着翅膀 像风扇一样 大声的喊叫 He wafts his wings like a fan and calls seductively.
它胸部的蓝色羽毛闪闪发光 His chest feathers shine a vivid blue,
胸部的黑色斑点闪闪发光 and the black spot on his chest almost seems to glow.
它好像用斑点对着雌鸟 He seems to point the spot towards the female
慢慢地挥动着翅膀 and keeps gently wafting his wings.
好像它是想对雌鸟施法 It’s almost as if he’s trying to hypnotize her.
它越是挥动翅膀 雌鸟就走得越近 The more he moves the closer she gets,
看得越认真 and the more intensely she watches him.
不过尽管它如此努力 还是不够 But despite his best efforts, it’s not enough.
它在中途就飞走了 She leaves him hanging mid-performance,
雄鸟根本不敢相信 And he can’t quite believe it.
蓝天堂鸟或许又回到了原点 It’s back to square one for the blue bird,
但塔达希却永远不会忘记这次舞蹈 but for Tadashi it’s been a performance he won’t forget.
他终于看到了蓝天堂鸟的求偶舞 He’s finally seen the courtship display of the blue bird of paradise,
他终于实现了梦想 and for Tadashi that’s a dream come true.
新几内亚的雨林为世界上最美的鸟 The rainforests of New Guinea provide an idilyic home
提供了理想的家 for some of the worlds most flamboyant birds.
岛屿的地理位置 The geography of the island,
热带气候和缺乏自然天敌 its tropical climate and lack of natural predators
让天堂鸟长出了艳丽的羽毛 has allowed birds-of-paradise to develop spectacular plumage,
表演了最精彩的求偶舞 And some of the most elaborate courtship displays ever seen.
日本摄影师塔达希 岛田 Japanese photographer Tadashi Shimada
看到了天堂鸟在求偶过程中的付出 has seen the efforts birds-of-paradise make, in their quest to find a mate,
从树林中的求偶舞 From dramatic mass performances in the trees,
到森林地上惊人的独奏 To striking solo shows on the forest floor,
一些舞蹈和描述的不同 And some displays which simply defy description.
塔达希相信对于这些神秘的鸟类 Tadashi believes that there’s still much to discover
对于这些为舞而生的鸟类 about the lives of these elusive extroverts,
还有更多有待发掘 the birds which are designed to dance.