Twelve-wired bird-of-paradise

The twelve-wired bird-of-paradise (Seleucidis melanoleucus) is a medium-sized bird-of-paradise about 33cm-long. The male has a red iris, black shoulders and wings, a long black bill and rich yellow plumes along its sides and stomach. From the rear of these plumes come twelve blackish, wire-like filaments, which bend back near their bases to sweep forward over the birds hindquarters.

Twelve-wired bird-of-paradise
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Paradisaeidae
Genus:	Seleucidis Lesson, 1835
Binomial name
Seleucidis melanoleucus

The female is a brown bird with black-barred buffy underparts. Its feet are strong, large-clawed and pink in color.

It is the only species in the monotypic genus Seleucidis. The male displays on an exposed vertical perch with its breast-shield flared. They eat fruits and arthropods.

The bird is found in lowland forests, New Guinea and Salawati Island of Irian Jaya.

References

• BirdLife International (2004). Seleucidis melanoleucus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 1 November 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern