The Bird of Paradise Constellation is made up of two constellations, Apus and PAVO. Apus is a small constellation in the southern sky, first catalogued by the Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius in 1598. It is Latin for 'without feet' because its stars are so faint that they appear to be without feet. PAVO is a large constellation in the southern sky, first catalogued by the Dutch astronomer Petrus Plancius in 1598. Its name is Latin for 'PEACOCK' and it is associated with the mythological bird of paradise.