This tiny bird makes music with its wings – Meet the Manakin

In the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador, resides the club-winged manakin, a bird that uniquely ‘sings’ with its wings. Unlike other songbirds, the male manakin produces a high-pitched tone by rubbing specialized wing feathers together, a process called stridulation. This rare adaptation, involving solid wing bones and rapid wing shakes, helps them attract mates through elaborate dances.