15. Birds
In the middle of the gallery you can see the typical birds of four specific biotopes.
In the showcases along the wall, African birds are systematically classified. Subjects like migration, parasitism and nest building are also illustrated.
- The Congo Peacock
The Congo Peacock is the largest gallinaceous bird to live in the African rainforest. It occurs in the Congolese lowland forests and is rather rare. It has a striking crest, but the male bird lacks the typical peacock tail.
The ‘discovery’ of the Congo Peacock was one of the greatest ornithological sensations of the 20th century.
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The story began in 1913 in the Ituri region, when the American ornithologist James P. Chapin discovered a feather that was completely new to him in the headdress of an inhabitant of Avakubi.
Back home again, his unflagging efforts to identify the feather met with a total lack of success.
Meanwhile, in 1914, the Museum of the Belgian Congo received sixty or so stuffed birds from the Compagnie du Kasai. Two of these appeared to be common Asian peafowl; they were labelled Pavo cristatus and ended up on top of a cupboard.
In 1936 Chapin visited the Museum and by the merest chance he happened to notice the birds. At last his quest was over: the feather corresponded with those in the plumage of the hen bird. Further research convinced him that this was in fact a new species, a rare member of the pheasant family, related to the Asian peacock. He named the bird Afropavo congensis Chapin. The two birds from Kasai became the type specimens.
In 1937, almost 25 years after finding his feather, Chapin saw his first live Congo Peacock in the Congolese rainforest.
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