The club-winged manakin is a small bird from the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador. To attract females, the male produces a clear, ringing note—not with his voice, but by playing his wings. One feather is ridged like a comb, while another acts as a pick, scraping across it as the wings shake more than 100 times per second. Even his wing bones have become unusually solid to withstand the performance. The bird is less a singer than a musical instrument that flies.
Club-winged manakin
