Song birds are a favorite of many people, even if they aren’t “birdwatchers.” Waking up with the sound of happy birds welcoming a sunny day is an instant dopamine fix. In the cloud forests of the West Andes, in Ecuador and Colombia, there is a small, brightly colored bird that sings using its wings. The wing feathers of the club-winged manakin have a different shape, enabling the bird to produce its unique sound.
Videos by InspireMore
We could try to explain how the club-winged manakin makes sound with its wings. However, this video and Dr. Kim Bostwick explain it much better.
Like a tuning fork, the wings of the club-winged manakin vibrate to produce sound. The sound is created by ridges on the club-shaped feathers, that has been described as “like a spoon moving across a washboard.” As the wings move against each other, the ridges produce the sound that we hear.
This type of sound is common in the insect world, but not among other animals. When done to impress a female, the male club-winged manakin will shake its wings over 100 times per second. Compare that to the hummingbird, which flaps its wings 75 to 90 beats per second. The vibrations create a violin-like tone from the wings.
The female is greenish-yellow with an orange or yellowish spot below her eye. Males are red, black, and white. The tiny four-inch birds feed on berries. During courtship, males hop and strut, utilizing their unique vibrating wings to produce a captivating sound that attracts females.
Dr. Kim Bostwick discovered the unique way this bird “sings” only 21 years ago. As scientists learn more about this fascinating little bird, it continues to amaze the world.
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You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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