Designing Social Interfaces

Colophon

The image on the cover of Designing Social Interfaces is a king bird of paradise (Cicinnurus regius). Members of the Paradisaeidae family, these small passerine birds can be found on the New Guinea mainland and on the surrounding islands of Aru, Missol, Salawati, and Yapen. They inhabit lowland rainforests and build their nests in tree cavities. Their diet consists of fruit and insects.

The smallest and most vividly colored of the birds of paradise, the king bird of paradise has been called a “living gem.” Males are a brilliant red with a white underside, a green band across the chest, and a black spot above each eye. They are further distinguished by two long, wirelike tailfeather shafts tipped with a swirl of emerald-green feathers. By contrast, females are a subdued shade of olive or brown with a buff-colored chest. Both sexes have blue legs and feet and are on average six to seven inches long (not including the males’ tailfeathers, which can be as long as their bodies).

The colorful feathers of birds of paradise were popular in women’s fashion over a century ago, and in fact, their population was almost decimated in the late 1800s due to the practice of using the feathers to decorate women’s hats. As many as 50,000 skins were exported each year until the 1920s, when exportation of the birds out of New Guinea was prohibited. Although the skins and feathers of male king birds of paradise are still sometimes used by native New Guineans in their dress and rituals, the species ...