Attenborough's Birds of Paradise
Description
Our fascination with birds of paradise has lasted 500 years. In this film, David Attenborough offers his own personal take on the mystery and discovery, obsession and scientific revelation surrounding these elusive birds. He himself has spent a lifetime filming their displays - many for the first time - and researching these birds both in their remote forest homes and in the museums and collections of Europe. He reveals the passion that birds of paradise have brought about in so many human hearts, from collectors and painters to wildlife cameramen. He uncovers the true science behind their extraordinary lives, revealing that, far from being icons of religious virtuosity, the evolution of their beauty has in fact been driven by sex. And in a final modern twist, David travels to the desert of Qatar, to a state of the art facility which houses the largest breeding group of these birds in the world - a Qatari Sheikh's very own private collection.
Runtime
52 min 1 sec
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