(Video link here.) Photographer Tim Laman and ornithologist Ed Scholes journeyed into the remote jungles of New Guinea in search of crazy dazzling Birds of Paradise, whose wondrous plumage is the result of some wild evolutionary development.…improvisation. Says Scholes:

The Birds of Paradise represent one of those singular events of evolution that stand out, that are extraordinary, that are something that is without precedent that evolved that is so unique, so exceptional, that you are driven to say “Why?” or  “How did that happen, how did that come to be?”

Want a closer look? Check out this slide show of photos by Tim Lamen for National Geographic.  We especially love these New Guinea tribesmen, who have taken the Birds of Paradise (and some of their tail feathers) as inspiration:

…

Practically speaking, we could see using the birds as color palettes for a room or two, or a painting….

…

The Birds of Paradise call to mind the Bower Birds, also of New Guinea, who construct charming, intricately-styled houses. What is it about New Guinea?

Laman and Scholes’ adventures are documented in the film Winged Seduction: Birds of Paradise. There’s also a book of Laman’s images Birds of Paradise: Revealing the World’s Most Extraordinary Birds

Via David Saltman

Related posts: frida kahlo’s body cast paintings (art transforms)
origami made of anything (vic muniz’ birds of a feather)
fabulous improvised (bird) house in new guinea
theo jansen’s new forms of life!