Twelve-wired Bird-of-paradise

The twelve-wired bird-of-paradise (Seleucidis melanoleucus) is a medium-sized, approximately 33 cm (13 in) long, velvet black and yellow bird-of-paradise. The male has a red iris, long black bill and rich yellow plumes along his flanks. From the rear of these plumes emerge twelve blackish, wire-like filaments, which bend back near their bases to sweep forward over the bird's hindquarters. The female is a brown bird with black-barred buff underparts. Their feet are strong, large-clawed and pink.

The sole representative of the monotypic genus Seleucidis, the twelve-wired bird-of-paradise inhabits lowland and swamp forests, particularly throughout New Guinea and Salawati Island, Indonesia. Their diet consists mainly of fruits and arthropods, extending to frogs, insects, and nectar.