All language subtitles for Winged Seduction Birds Of Paradise NG 720p HDTV_Subtitles01.ENG

Narrator:
Shape shifting.

Color shaking.

Dancing, singing,
dazzling,

Sex crazed
transformers.

The fabled birds
of paradise.

Cut off from the modern
world, virtually unknown.

Until two modern day
explorers set out

On a decade-long quest.

Tim laman: We have to
try to outsmart them.

Ed scholes: If we succeed
in getting the moment of

Transformation that's
gonna be the holy grail.

Narrator: A quest to
find and photograph all

39 species of these
spectacular creatures.

Tim laman: Kind
of a narrow spot

To get through here.

Narrator: And to capture
some never-before-seen

Firsts for science.

Tim laman: No way!

Narrator: National
geographic photographer

Tim laman and cornell
university ornithologist

Ed scholes have
travelled the jungles of

New guinea for
nearly a decade.

It's an assignment
turned obsession.

A search for one of
nature's holy grails,

Images of every
species of this

Flamboyant
family of birds.

Iridescent feathers,
outlandish shapes,

Precision choreography,
extreme ornamentation,

Cacophonous flapping,
male birds of paradise

Whose adaptations have
only one purpose,

To attract a mate.

New guinea, where
birds of paradise live,

Is one of the most
remote places on earth.

Tim and ed have taken over
20 expeditions to more

Than 50 field sites,
suffered countless days in

The rain-soaked jungle
and one burst appendix.

They've survived it all,
plus dubious flights,

Perilous boat rides,
grueling hikes.

Tim laman: Here's
where we go left.

Narrator: And the
jungle pulsing

With poisonous life.

Tim laman: You gotta keep
your eye out for them.

So when you're bashing
through the forest you

Gotta pay attention or
you might end up with

One of these
on your face.

Narrator: They've filmed
a lot of birds but they

Still have a few
adventures left on their

Birds of paradise
bucket list.

Their first target, the
wahne's parotia is a

Creature that transforms
from bird to ballerina in

The blink of an eye.

They live way up in the
saruwaged mountains.

Tim laman: Getting into
this location has turned

Into a bit of a
transportation nightmare

In the last few days.

Ed scholes: The plane that
we were counting on flying

In on had a small
incident at an airstrip

And had a
crash landing.

Tim laman: So we
decided to go with

The helicopter option.

Narrator: When they
finally do take to the

Air, they'll be heading
for a landing pad

They're not even
sure exists.

Ed scholes: So we have
no idea whether it's

Even a helipad that a
helicopter can land on.

Narrator: They can
only safely fly

In clear weather.

Ed scholes: Mountains here
are really, really steep.

Some of these ridges
are over 6,000 feet.

No pilot in papua
new guinea flies

When you can't see.

Narrator: Fortunately,
the next day breaks clear.

They're flying into
one of the least

Explored places on earth,
from the air there

Isn't a road in sight.

Tim laman: Wow, what a
day compared to yesterday.

Narrator: Birds of
paradise are also

Cut off from
the world.

The definitive field
guides have countless

Entries that read,
simply "unknown."

Tim and ed are
filling in the blanks.

Tim laman: It's not so
much just being the first,

But just the fact that
it hasn't been done.

This group of
birds hadn't been

Documented in the wild.

Ed scholes: They're
a biological

Wonder of the world.

It's like, "why
the great pyramids?

Why machu picchu?"

It's like the avian
equivalent of

Looking at animal life
on another planet.

Narrator: Or perhaps
from many planets,

Each species more
incredible than the next.

Parotia are famous
for the intricacy

Of their dancing.

Their choreography
is part riverdance,

Part ocd, this one,
carola's parotia,

Draws an endless
"figure 8" in the air.

Strange, but the
females seem to like it.

Deciphering what the
male's behavior means to

The females is like
learning another language;

This mission is all
about cracking the code

Of the wahne's display.

Ed scholes: Real
excited to be back,

To see this
species of parotia.

I spent so many
years studying them

And it's nice
to be back.

They're kinda like
old friends for me.

Narrator: On one
of these ridges,

Is a field camp tim
and ed will call home

For the next
three weeks.

If they can land.

Ed scholes: Rory
we're just looking

For a cut clearing
on a ridge.

Rory: Ok.

Ed scholes: And
hopefully they get

The helipad for us.

Rory: Yeah.

Ed scholes: It is
the moment of truth.

Tim laman: Yeah really.

Ed scholes: Let's hope,
let's hope, let's hope.

Tim laman: I see smoke
dead ahead on the ridge.

Right there.

Ed scholes: Yeah, you
can see the bamboo there.

Tim laman: Yes.

Ed scholes: What
do you think rory?

Rory: Yeah,
no problem.

Barely a
challenge.

Tim laman: That's
what we like to hear.

We've got a helicopter
only a "sat" phone

Call away and a few
thousand dollars.

Narrator: Parotia
territory at last.

Ed scholes: The
parotia is one of the

Quintessential shape
shifting species.

Narrator: When the
male displays he

Tucks his wings
away and pops out

Specialized
breast feathers.

Ed scholes: They're
kinda funny and

Comical to watch.

You can't help but to
think of them as like a

Little person
in the forest,

Wearing a skirt,
dancing around.

Narrator: There are
five species of parotia

And tim and ed have
photographed them all.

But this time they
want to change it up.

They're trying to film a
male parotia from above,

From the perspective
of the females,

Who are the arbiters of
what makes a good display.

Ed thinks the aerial
view will be very

Different from anything
they've ever seen.

Ed scholes: The way
the females look at

'em is from above
looking down.

So the females see
this really distinct

Circular shape that's
made by the skirt.

Alright, this
is the camp;

They've already got
the old tarp up.

Narrator: Ed's
command of the

Local language, pidgin,
comes in handy.

Ed: [speaking pidgin].

Narrator: As their
porters make camp,

They strike out to
scout display sites.

Ed scholes: There's
a couple of old ones

Right over here
in this thicket.

That's what I
first noticed.

I think it's here.

There's like a sink
hole and this one's a

Fresh one because look
it's got fresh bird poop.

Or, as they say in
pidgin, "peck peck."

Narrator: This bare
patch is the male's

Display territory,
it's called a court.

Parotia are neat freaks,
keeping their courts

Spotless and clear.

So ed sets up
a tiny camera,

Then scatters
some leaves.

It's his sneaky way
of telling if the

Males are using
this site.

Ed scholes: Really
drives them crazy to

Have those leaves
down there,

They're very
fastidious.

So when he comes by here
and sees those he won't be

Able to help himself,
he'll come right down

And toss them all
off the court.

Tim laman:
Holy cow, man.

We can almost get
the looking down

View from up here.

Ed scholes: Yeah.

Narrator: If the site
proves to be active,

It's perfect for
the overhead shot.

Tim laman: This distance
is very safe for parotias.

I mean, I think that's
a wide enough view right

There if we just
clean out that vine.

Ed scholes: Yeah.

This one's
totally doable.

Narrator: Capturing the
female perspective on film

Would be a scientific
breakthrough and

A dream come
true for ed.

Ed scholes: If we
succeed in especially

Getting the moment of
transformation that's

Gonna be the
holy grail.

Narrator: They check
the spy camera and

Sure enough it
doesn't take long for the

Parotia to arrive.

Ed scholes: That's
the leaf we put down.

Tosses it.

Yeah!

Yeah, he's coming
like right up next

To the gopro.

Narrator: He's so
intent on cleaning up;

He doesn't even
notice the camera!

Tim laman: No way.

Ed scholes: Are
you kidding me?

Tim laman: Wow,
we actually got

An awesome gopro
shot of a parotia!

That's hilarious.

I can't believe
that worked,

He totally didn't
care at all.

Whoa,
this guy is big.

Ed scholes: That
tail is long.

Tim laman: That
tail is long,

That's a huge bird.

I forget how
much bigger.

Ed scholes: This
is a lot bigger.

Tim laman: This parotia is
than some of the others.

Narrator: Tim plans
to position three

Synchronized cameras
around the display area.

Ed will control two
from his laptop,

While tim shoots
the third from a

Hidden vantage point.

Tim laman: I just need to
get a bunch of bush rope

And start lashing
together a ladder.

Narrator: Thankfully
the forest itself is

As good as a
hardware store.

Ed has been studying
parotia displays for

Years, their dances
are the most complex

Of any bird of
paradise and

He knows every
move they make.

Ed scholes: In pretty
much an instant,

He'll do a bow.

And he basically then
fluffs out those long

Feathers of the breast and
flanks and that's when he

Forms them around his body
and they go back behind

His back and cover his
wings and

When he comes up and
he's taking these

3 long head wires
from each side.

And as he starts walking
forward with his skirt out

He's shaking them
back and forth,

Waving them in
front of his head.

Then he begins
waggling his neck and

Head back and
forth like that.

None of it really makes
sense unless we can

Interpret it from the
perspective that the

Females are seeing him.

Narrator: For birds of
paradise the females are

The evolutionary
decision makers.

Tim laman: Ok, it's 12:15;
we're getting this all set

Up during this,
sort of lull in the

Middle of the day.

So if the bird starts
coming back for some

Afternoon activity
we'd be ready to go.

Narrator: It's a
complicated rig.

Ed scholes: Perfect
ethernet hiding material.

Narrator: Custom
built cables,

Specialized software
and electronics.

Ed scholes: Alright
I'm going back to

Set up the computer.

Narrator: And none of
it very jungle-friendly.

Ed scholes: (bleep).

Slippery.

Great.

All right, so
it's working,

The cameras are on.

And I think we're
in business.

Narrator: Tim settles
into his blind,

Hoping their
camera-ready parotia

Will make another
appearance.

Ed scholes: They seem
to be everywhere but

On the court where
we need them.

[thunder]

Tim laman: Well,
I'm still sitting

Here in my blind.

Think I'm gonna call
it quits pretty soon.

Hey it's getting
pretty dark over here,

I think I'm gonna
start packing up.

Ed scholes: Okay,
let me pack this up.

Alright, calling
it quits.

Tim laman: Well.

Ed scholes: Too much
good luck to get it

All in the
first day.

Tim laman: Yeah.

Asking a bit
too much indeed.

Narrator: Early
the next morning

They're back at it.

Ed scholes: I had to
stop by starbucks

On my way
back to work.

Narrator: Miraculously,
the parotia also

Shows up for the
morning shift.

Tim laman: I got it,
I got it on both.

Ed scholes:
Yeah, it's great.

It's going to be
fun to review this.

Tim laman: Yeah
great, alright.

Ed scholes:
Yeah, we got one!

Narrator: The
question is were all

Three cameras rolling?

Ed scholes: Alright,
moment of truth here.

Lookin' left,
lookin' right.

Bow.

Yeah, his tail.

Ok he's coming out
of the ballerina,

Turning around.

Tim laman: It's a nice
view of his wires.

Ed scholes: Oh and
he goes under there.

Tim laman: Wow!

That flash
is amazing.

Ed scholes: Yeah,
yeah it is amazing.

Narrator: This is even
bigger than ed expected.

Ed scholes: Wow,
you know what,

So you can even
see the flash,

So he's got this other
ornament on the back of

His head that you
almost never see and

It flashes right on
the opposite side.

Tim laman: Oh
look, he's.

Ed scholes: Yeah, he
looks so different.

Tim laman: Yeah,
that's nice.

Narrator: He knew
the view from up top

Would be different,
but these

Iridescent flashes
are a shock.

It's like the male is
sending out secret love

Messages that only the
female above him can see.

Tim laman: Usually, we
always filmed it from a

Blind on the ground so
that flashing really is

Designed to face upward
to flash to the females so

Now that we're
really looking down

On it we're really
seeing that flash flash!

That's just really
cool to see it

From different
angles.

Narrator: With all three
cameras synched up,

They can see the
top-down shot in context.

Tim laman: Nice.

Ed scholes: Man, those
head wires look great.

He kind of does
that tick, tick,

Tick exaggerated.

Tim laman: Ah,
look at that flash,

That is like so cool.

Blue and yellow.

Ed scholes: Yeah, from
this perspective you're

Kind of getting both
colors at once, you know?

Tim laman: Yeah.

Ed scholes: Yeah.

That's good.

Alright nice work.

Narrator: It's the
unknown that makes

Birds of paradise
so fascinating.

Tim and ed were the
first to discover

That one species,
the arfak astrapia,

Performs its
displays upside down!

Ed scholes: That's
as close as you get

To a-ha moments in
science anymore.

Narrator: And the arfak
isn't the only one

To turn the mating
dance on its head.

The blue bird of paradise,
the red bird of paradise

And the emperor.

This footage of the
emperor displaying

Is the first
ever recorded.

But the birds
rarely make it easy.

Ed once spent 80 hours
waiting for just

90 seconds of magnificent
riflebird display.

Tim has climbed nearly
150 trees over the years.

His highest perch was
165 feet in the air,

Getting to it was
like climbing a

15 story building.

Sometimes he gets room
service for lunch.

Tim laman: Alright.

I got the full
indonesian lunch here.

I got rice, I
got vegetables.

I got noodles.

Quite a lunch for
up in a tree, huh?

Narrator: But the next
bird on their list

Could be even
more challenging.

Tim laman: So
we good to go?

Ed scholes:
Seems like it.

Tim laman: Man
it's pouring, huh?

Narrator: To reach
it, tim and ed

Are heading
out to sea.

They're now on the
trail of the rare

Goldie's bird
of paradise.

Goldie's have an
incredibly limited range,

They only exist on two
tiny islands off the

Eastern coast
of new guinea.

Ed scholes: The
genus paradisaea,

These are the ones that
are on the flag and

Have the most sought after
plumes for human interest,

Especially new
guinea culture.

Narrator: The plume trade
impacted many bird of

Paradise species at the
turn of the century,

But the striking
feathers of the genus

Paradisaea were
particularly prized.

Their numbers have
rebounded since then,

But they're still
hard to find.

Tim laman: Alright,
see if I can get on

This sucker without
falling in.

It's like the wettest
start to an expedition

That we've ever had.

Narrator: Goldie's
bird of paradise

Display in the canopy.

Tim will have to build
himself a camouflaged

Blind high in a tree.

He's had success in the
canopy with the greater

Bird of paradise using
a multi camera rig.

Tim laman: This is the
main display perch.

And there's my
blind over there.

And right here is
my leaf camera.

We put a whole slr here
inside these leaves.

Alright, let's
hope this works.

Narrator: Tim monitored
the leaf cam with his

Laptop, while he
shot with a second

Camera from the blind.

Tim laman: Alright,
so we are good to go.

Now we just
need the birds.

Narrator: First the
males show up and

Ruffle their plumes to
attract the females.

Once the ladies
get there,

The males get
really excited.

Tim laman: It's
actually working!

It's kind of
unbelievable.

Narrator: This is called
the "flower pose."

If the female likes
what she sees,

She'll stick around for
some feather tickling

And eventually mating.

The innovative leaf cam
captures a never before

Seen perspective of
the mating ritual.

This time, they're
hoping to combine

All of their
successful tactics.

They need to get their
cameras up in the canopy

To capture the experience
of a female goldie's.

But first they
have to reach them.

Tim laman: We're
headed into some

Dark weather
over there.

The letim laman: We'reremember
salheaded into some

Dark weather
over there.

Ed scholes: As we came out
of the mouth of the bay it

Just kept getting choppier
and choppier so now we

Were in pretty much
serious downpour rain,

As well as rough seas.

Narrator: This passage
to the goldie's home,

Fergusson island is
notoriously deadly.

Ed scholes and tim laman
have got to cross the open

Straight, motor between
the islands and around the

Tip of fergusson, then
hike inland to a tiny

Village that will
be their home base.

Scouting reports from the
island have confirmed

That the birds
are there.

Ed scholes: So we're not
going to have to spend any

Time when we first get
there searching for the

Birds and trying to
find the display tree.

Narrator: It's legendarily
inconvenient to work in

New guinea, but the same
impenetrable jungles,

Far-flung islands and
extreme elevations that

Make passage nearly
impossible are also what

Has given rise to these
otherworldly creatures.

Little jurassic parks,
pocket environments cut

Off from each other and
the outside create fertile

Ground for small
populations of birds to

Evolve extraordinary
characteristics.

Tim laman: Hey
we made it.

Narrator: They've
survived the passage,

But there's still
a rough road ahead.

Their guide, local
conservationist

David mitchell,
returns from scouting

The inland trail
with bad news.

David mitchell: Most of
the water is up to about

Here on what's
the walking track.

Tim laman: So what
does that mean about

The forest around where
the birds of paradise are?

Is it going to
be flooded there?

David mitchell:
It's flooded.

It's flooded.

But give it two days
it might go down.

Tim laman: Great.

David mitchell: Sorry.

Tim laman: Might as well
camp here on the beach

Or something.

Just stay here.

Ed scholes: What
would we do,

Just wait for
it to go down?

Tim laman: Well it's
not really practical to

Carry all of our gear
to the flooded village

Through neck deep water.

I mean that's not
going to work either.

Ed scholes: Can we walk
over there and look?

David mitchell: Yeah,
come have a look.

Ed scholes: Yeah,
let's go have a look.

Tim laman: I don't
believe this.

Ed scholes: Yeah, the rain
finally stops but now we

Can't go anywhere
because of the flood.

Tim laman: Oh gosh.

Narrator: With
no time to waste,

And no way to work
without their gear,

Tim and ed set off in
search of another route.

Tim laman: Whoa!

Ed scholes: Is it
getting deeper again?

Tim laman: Yeah.

Narrator: The local
villagers eagerly pitch

In, cutting a new path
through the jungle.

Ed scholes: It's like a
universal in new guinea;

Wherever you go it's
always the kids

And girls carrying
your stuff.

You don't look so tough
next to a 12 year old

Girl carrying your
big bag for you.

Now all we need is
a good downpour.

Tim laman:
Alright.

Narrator: At long last
they reach the village.

Tim laman:
Here we are.

Ed scholes: Home sweet
home, fergusson island.

Narrator: The goldie's
live in the forest nearby.

Tim laman:
Hello.

Villagers:
Hello!

Tim laman:
How are you?

Ed scholes: The patch
of forest where the

Birds are is
very close.

Narrator: They're
anxious to see the tree

Where the
goldie's display.

Tim laman: Slippery
mud right there.

Ed scholes: That's
the goldie call,

"wah, wah, wah."

Isn't that
awesome?

This could be a quick
trip to foot rot.

Narrator: In the
flooded forest,

All sorts of creatures are
scrambling to stay dry.

Some, like this spiny orb
weaver are as colorful

As a bird of paradise.

But it's the birds
they are here to see.

Ed scholes: That
sounds more like what

They do before they
start displaying.

You know, they
do that chatter.

[makes bird sounds].

And then they would go
[makes bird sounds]

And then they would
jump right into it.

Tim laman: Well,
that sounds a little.

Narrator: Finally,
they manage to find

An active tree.

Ed scholes: See how
that tree that goes up

And has got this
fork in it.

There's kind of like
an open gap of a

Bunch of little jungle
gym-like sticks.

That's where
the birds are.

Narrator: There is no
place up there to build a

Blind so they have
to adjust their plan.

Tim laman: The main
approach is gonna be to

Try to use these
remote control cameras.

So when I climb
up in the tree,

I'm gonna rig up
this camera, hidden,

With also a layer
of leaves over this.

And try to hide it you
know in the next tree

Closest to the
display site.

Then we'll be able to
run these cables down

To the ground and shoot
with the remote control

Setup from our laptops.

We think it's gonna
be a natural history

Filmmaking first to
film birds of paradise

Like this up in
the canopy.

Narrator: They just
need to turn this pile

Of gear into a working
camera system.

Tim laman: This
goes to that.

This is going to
be your number

2 laptop connection.

Ed scholes: Hey tim,
there's one of those

Big millipedes
going right by.

Tim laman: Oh
yeah, yeah.

Narrator: Though
not a biter,

The millipede can
secrete a caustic acid

That causes a
painful burn.

Tim laman: I'm going to
wait so if he decides

To spray his
chemicals he'll hit

My clothes instead
of my leg.

Alright, I'm going to
get rid of this dude.

I think we're about
ready for this test.

Ed scholes: Alright, I
am seeing two cameras.

Now we need a
dancing bird.

Here we go.

I'm gonna do my
best imitation of a

Goldie's bird
of paradise.

[imitates bird].

Alright, you
working?

Tim laman: Cut!

Ok.

Here it comes.

Ed scholes: Alright,
look at that guy.

I'm pretty sure
he'll be successful.

Tim laman:
Alright, it worked.

Ed scholes: Shoulda
had my red shirt on.

Tim laman: Alright now we
gotta rig it up in a tree.

Narrator: The
goldie's display site

Is a hundred
feet up.

Ed scholes: Man,
you had it,

But I think you
hit a leaf.

Tim laman: Yeah it went
right over to the right

Spot but then it
bounced back off of a.

Ed scholes: A leaf.

Tim laman:
Another branch.

David mitchell: Tim,
moses was saying that's a

Soft wood so it's
not very strong and

The branches are
easy to break.

Tim laman: Okay.

So uh but if I go over one
of the biggest branches,

Should be all
right, yeah?

David mitchell: What
do you think moses?

Do you think tim's
too heavy, or?

Moses: That's
right.

David mitchell:
You don't think

It'll support
him eh?

Moses: Yeah.

David mitchell:
He said this is a

Soft wood so he was
having reservations when

He saw you putting
an arrow up in it.

Ed scholes: How
soft is soft wood?

Tim laman: Well I think
I'll pull a rope up

And see how
strong it is.

It's good to
be careful.

Ed scholes: We can put
some double weight on the

Rope and just see how
much it bends and.

Tim laman: See if the
whole thing breaks off.

All right, here goes.

Ed scholes: A
little short.

Tim laman: Alright.

Got it in the
right spot.

Narrator: The
rope is secure;

It's time to see if it
will hold tim's weight.

Willpower.
Narrator: National
geographic photographer

Tim laman gingerly
navigates the

Soft wood tree.

Tim laman: Alright
I'm at the level now.

Ed scholes: Yeah?

Tim laman: It is
pretty light wood.

Ed scholes: Is it
gonna be all right?

Tim laman: As long as
I stay in the middle.

I put a loop in the rope
and clipped it in so if

The whole top of the tree
where I'm at actually

Cracks and bends over.

My rope actually will
still keep me from hitting

The ground, it still would
be a nasty fall but it

Would be better than
hitting the ground.

Narrator: With the
nearest hospital

Two day's journey away,
safety is paramount.

Ed scholes: How's the
view of the branch?

Can you see it
pretty easily?

Tim laman: I got a
perfectly clear view

And it's two
meters away.

Ed scholes: Two?

Tim laman: That's
gonna be awesome.

Oh, my feet.

This is not gonna be
comfortable up here.

Narrator: As tim rushes to
get the cameras in place,

The goldie's start
revving up for a display.

Ed scholes: It's
a call to action.

It means it's time to
get your groove on.

It's like the guy
standing in front

Of the mirror
going uh-uh-uh.

Narrator: For the males of
most species of birds of

Paradise, promiscuity
is a full time job.

They flirt and
flirt to get the

Female's attention.

Ed scholes: The males
would mate repeatedly

With the same females
throughout the course

Of the display
session.

Would mate with
multiple females,

Would mate with the same
females repeatedly over

Multiple days or weeks so,
so yeah they're not very

Discriminating about
who and how many.

It's pretty much
up to the female.

Narrator: Which is why
it's critical to see what

The females see, how
they decide who's worthy.

Tim laman: Alright I'm
up here in the canopy

By the goldie's bird
of paradise tree and

Here are my two remote
control cameras #1 and #2.

Narrator: It's taken
three hours for tim

To perfectly position
the cameras.

Tim laman: My legs
are starting to get

Gripped up from
just holding these

Weird positions
for too long.

I need a break.

Narrator: Unable to rest
on any of the fragile

Branches, tim has
got to get down

Before his legs
give out.

Tim laman: Kind
of a narrow spot

To get through here.

Whoa.

Oh man, it's really
tiring up there.

The birds are calling
just behind us.

Just above back
over here.

So they're only
about 25 meters away.

But maybe they're
all spooked by my

Cameras up there,
we're not sure.

Narrator: The
digital trap is laid,

But no one's biting.

Ed scholes: Come on in
boys, the water's warm.

Tim laman: They're
kind of closer.

They're up higher.

If we had a stuffed
female bird of paradise,

Stuck her up there, they'd
be down there in a second.

Narrator:
Unintentionally,

Ed tries to call
them in himself.

Tim laman: That's the most
ridiculous water bottle.

Ed scholes: I don't know
what to do about it.

Tim laman: There's
a lot of waiting

In this business.

Ed scholes: Oh man.

They're definitely there
when they come around.

But they're just not
in the right tree.

Tim laman:
Come on dudes.

Come on.

Narrator: But today is
not going to be the day.

Tim laman:
Ah, (bleep).

It's starting
to rain.

Ed scholes:
Shuttin' down.

Tim laman: I can't believe
they're coming so close,

Right when it's getting
dark and I have to go up

And get the cameras
down because

It's also
starting to rain.

And now they're
like right here.

Narrator: They can't
film at night and

The cameras aren't
waterproof, so day one

On fergusson is a bust.

Tim laman: Let's just hope
we get the payoff moment

To go with all the
misery and suffering.

Narrator: The
next morning,

They're back
before dawn.

Tim laman: Alright, we're
going to try to be really

Quiet because we think the
birds are sleeping very

Close to the tree here so
we're just going to try to

Sneak up there and
set up the cameras,

Get back down as
fast as I can.

Narrator: As if the soft
wood isn't dangerous

Enough, tim's climbing
in total darkness and

The tree is soaked
and slippery.

Ed scholes: Alright
I'm gonna do a

Quick cable
check here.

Make sure the rats didn't
chew the cable overnight

Which would be
a big problem.

Rodents love this
rubbery wire.

Tree rats.

The bain of every
ornithologist.

Tim laman:
Alright 5:28.

So we're on
schedule, I made it

Back down
before 5:30.

Ed scholes:
Yeah, good job.

Tim laman: Yeah.

Now we just got
to sit tight and

Wait for like an hour
for it to get light.

They haven't come to
the display site yet.

You know, it was raining
all night and it's been a

Really wet and kind
of drippy morning,

So we hope that that's the
reason that they're not

Being active and
displaying this morning.

But we don't know,
it's just kind of

A waiting game.

They're getting
temptingly close now,

But I just don't think
they're buying it.

Narrator: The
goldie's seem to be

Avoiding the
rigged tree.

Tim laman: It's been like
two good mornings now and

They haven't come, so I'm
pretty sure that having

Those cameras up
there close to the

Display site is putting
them off a bit.

So we're gonna have to
try something different.

Narrator: Frustrated
by the goldie's lack of

Cooperation, tim and ed
head off in search of a

Different bird
they've been hearing.

Tim laman: Manucodes
are calling nearby.

So I'm gonna try to
get that on video.

Hey, which one do
you want to chase,

There's one over
here now, too.

Ed scholes: Let's go, back
toward the big fig tree.

Narrator: Curl crested
manucodes have a

Spectacular call.

Ed scholes: Sounds
like a ufo landing.

Ah, they're
right here.

But we're on the
wrong side of the sun.

Tim laman: (bleep).

Narrator: The manucode
is a throwback species.

It looks more similar
to the ancient,

Crow-like ancestor of all
birds of paradise than it

Does to its flamboyant
modern-day cousins.

Manucodes are
quaintly monogamous;

They don't need fancy
feathers to convince a

Female to mate
with them,

Like the males of
other species.

Ed scholes: Somewhere
along the way they made

The shift from being
monogamous to polygynous

And then things
just went crazy

With sexual
selection.

Narrator: Unlike natural
selection which weeds out

The weak, sexual selection
ensures the survival of

The male traits the female
finds most attractive.

When a female bird of
paradise selects a male to

Mate with, she is
endorsing his assets,

Making sure those
genes will live on.

Ed scholes: The more
extreme your preference

Is for certain kinds of
behaviors or ornaments,

The more extreme those
traits are in the

Offspring of the
males that have them.

So because of that, the
females' behavior of

Spending time watching
males and mating is sort

Of equally as
obnoxious and extreme

And bizarre as what the
males are doing themselves.

Narrator: Plentiful food
and few predators free up

Male birds of
paradise to devote

Most of their
energy to mating.

The choosy females
only mate with

The sexiest males.

But every encounter
starts with an audition.

Ed scholes: They've
created their destiny of

Spending inordinate
number of hours watching

The very males that
their ancestors

Have created through
sexual selection.

Narrator: The
manucodes never made

The leap to polygamy.

But that doesn't
mean they're

Without sex appeal.

For them it's
an oral thing.

Ed records a male's
call and plays it back

To fool a bird into
revealing its position.

Ed scholes:
There they go.

Tim laman:
Where'd they go?

Ed scholes:
Right there.

Tim laman: Is that
him right there?

Ed scholes: He's low
in there somewhere.

Tim laman: That's
him, that's him.

Just behind the tree.

Ed scholes: He's
right in the sunlight.

Tim laman: Yeah.

Ed scholes: Wow you
can really see his

Throat moving now.

Tim laman: This is the
bird that has this really

Crazy like windy trachea
on its throat there that

It's using to make
that crazy call.

Narrator: This
is an unexpected,

But important catch.

Tim laman: This is a cool
behavior that nobody has

Documented the
postures that these

Guys do while
they're calling.

Ed scholes: Better
than what we did

With goldie's
this morning.

Narrator: Taking the
manucodes as a good sign,

Tim and ed head back
to the goldie's.

Tim laman: Oh
yeah, there's a

Bird really close.

Narrator:
Scientist/photographer

Team ed scholes and tim
laman have spotted two

Male goldie's displaying
on a branch about

50 yards from
their rigged tree.

This is what they've
been waiting for.

Tim laman: It's
pretty good.

They're so low.

With this big lens
from this far away it

Feels like you're up
there with them, so.

Narrator: The females
have box seats

For the performance.

Ed scholes: Okay, it looks
like the female came back

And now he's getting
closer and closer.

There he goes.

And now
they mated.

So that's
one mating.

Tim laman: I just
got a mating on film.

Narrator: An eternity of
foreplay leads up to a

Hit and run
transfer of sperm.

Tim laman: So they
did their whole thing,

I got the mating
and everything.

Ed scholes: Yeah,
you get a pretty

Good view from here.

Tim laman: Yeah.

Ed scholes: Nice.

The stick is in
the way, but.

Tim laman: Yeah.

There's this one stick
where when the two males

Are there it's
mostly like that.

I don't like
that branch.

Narrator: Now if they
can just get a display

With their leaf cam.

Ed scholes:
Coffee's on.

It's pretty good.

We got our papua new
guinea coffee with a

Bird of paradise on
the front there.

Can't go without my
little broken heart mug.

Narrator: Before tim
climbs up to rig the

Remote camera, he attempts
an aerial extraction.

Tim laman: No that
was a bad one.

Oh!

Yes, I think
we did it.

I think it's one of
those softwood trees.

Well, the offending
branch is no more.

Alright I
gotta go up.

Here's a view of
the canopy camera.

It's going to be
looking out on

That tree over there.

Hopefully the
birds will come,

Do a little
displaying and

We'll get the
canopy perspective.

Wow this is
working great.

Now if the birds
will just come.

Alright, I'm going to
get my big lens set up.

I got a small
tree in my way.

They're starting
to get excited.

He's there.

Are you
rolling ed?

Ed scholes: Yeah.

Tim laman: Boy they're
coming in fast.

Ed scholes: There
he is, there he is.

Tim laman:
Oh awesome!

Ed scholes: Two
males, two females.

Hey, first leaf cam
footage of goldie's.

Tim laman: Alright
we'll take it.

We'll take it.

There he goes.

Narrator: Before they
leave the island,

Tim reveals their
groundbreaking

Shots for the
first time.

Tim laman: This is a
rapid-fire sequence.

Narrator: The unique
leaf cam perspective

Exposes previously
unknown behavior,

The females seem to be
mesmerized by the males

Red feathers and
during every display,

The males brush
their tail wires and

Plumes against the
female's breast.

Ed scholes: Well,
cheers to a good day.

Narrator: Tim and ed have
accomplished many firsts

And this last expedition
is no exception.

The first documented curl
crested manucode display.

The first leaf-cam
footage of goldie's.

The first parotia female
perspective shot and

Over nearly a decade,
the first photographs

Of every species of
bird of paradise.

Tim laman: It's both
sort of the most exciting

Project I have ever worked
on and it's also the most

Frustrating project I
have ever worked on.

Ed scholes: It's one thing
to see a bird of paradise

And think, "oh its
beautiful plumes

And it's a neat bird."

But it's mind-blowing
when you really see it in

Context of what they're
doing and how it evolved.