The twelve-wired bird of paradise (Seleucidis melanoleucus) has 12 "wires" or specialised wire-like filaments that grow from its yellow plumes, which bend back near their bases to sweep forward over the bird's hindquarters and which the male uses to brush a female's face during a courtship display. Adult males are striking with velvet black and vibrant yellow plumage, which takes five to seven years to develop. Females are brown and buff to help them blend into their surroundings. It is found in swampy lowland forests in New Guinea and on Salawati Island, feeding on fruits, nectar, and insects.
