An Indonesian endemic, the Arfak Astrapia is restricted to the Arfak Mountains in Vogelkop Peninsula, West Papua. Adult male, 76 cm including tail feathers; female, 50 cm. Male has head blue to purple velvety jet black, cheeks with blue highlights, nape to mantle cape yellowish-green, upper breast dense velvety black with bordered iridescent coppery bronze, upper wing and huge graduated tail black with purple iridescent sheen. Female has black head and remainder of plumage drab blackish brown, with iridescent blue sheen on the nape.

The diet consists mainly of pandanus fruits. In the wild, the bird has hybridised with the Black Sicklebill creating offspring that were once considered a distinct species, the Elliot's Sicklebill Epimachus ellioti. While some ornithologists still believe that this bird is a distinct species, possibly critically endangered or even extinct, many now think it was a hybrid between the two species.

Protected by its geographical isolation and undisturbed forests home, the Arfak Astrapia is evaluated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It is listed on Appendix II of CITES.

Breeding season undefined; juveniles observed in July-August. Female builds and attends nests alone. Incubation and nestling period unknown. Hybridisation with Black Sicklebill known.