A rare bird from New Guinea found its way to a taxidermist’s workshop, then ended up in a dumpster in northern Ontario before being acquired by the Canadian Museum of Nature. Gregory Rand, the collections manager for birds and mammals at the Ottawa museum, recently showcased the taxidermied red bird-of-paradise to CBC Radio’s Ottawa Morning, donning purple protective gloves for the occasion.
This exotic bird, known for its striking appearance with a black head, burnt-yellow neck, and vibrant colors, including brown hues and twirly tail streamers, hails from select Pacific islands. Despite its unique features, the bird was discovered in an old display case in Elliot Lake, a city situated between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie, where it had been overlooked amidst a collection that included a Canadian shrike.
According to Rand, the red bird of paradise, clearly out of its natural habitat in northern Ontario, remains a mystery in terms of its journey to the museum’s facility in Gatineau, Quebec. The specimen shows signs of sun damage, possibly from years of display under sunlight, and is estimated to have been taxidermied in the late 1800s or early 1900s.
Speculating on how the bird ended up in Elliot Lake, Rand suggested scenarios such as being purchased, inherited, or forgotten in attics or basements before ending up in a dumpster during a house clearance. Now part of the museum’s collection, the bird could serve educational or research purposes, with the opportunity for public viewing at the museum’s upcoming annual open house on October 18.
In a quest for unique items, local museums were asked to reveal their quirky collections, showcasing a range of artifacts from wax fruit replicas to underwater microphones and Roman coins.