The Life of Animals | Cairns Birdwing | A closely allied species, the New Guinea or Priam's Birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus) reaches 19 cm and is the largest butterfly species found in Australia, but it is not endemic.
Males have a predominately black upper wing with emerald green flashes, however the female lacks the green coloring, having a plain black upper wing with white patches. The larvae or caterpillars of this species breed on several species of pipe vine,
including Aristolochia tagala and Pararistolochia deltantha. Cairns Birdwings are found southwards from Mount Webb and Cooktown to Mackay in Queensland. Its favoured habitat is primary rainforest, although the species will breed readily in a home garden if the correct larval host plants are grown.
