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Several kinds of birds-of-paradise transform their bodies into a dark oval shape when they display. Each species uses a different assortment of feathers on the wings, flank, or neck. They use muscles in the skin to move the feathers into position. The black shape serves as a background for showing off a bright patch of iridescent color to the females. The Cornell Lab's Ed Scholes explains:
Filmed and photographed by Tim Laman.
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