Superb Bird of Paradise (Lophorina superba)

All the polygamous Birds of Paradise have intriguing courtship rituals, but few are as curious as the display of this fine-billed species. The male is equipped with highly modified breast plumage that flares into a "winged" display shield. This is mirrored behind the bird's head by a velvety cape of elongated nape feathers that fans round to meet the breast shield, giving a bizarre circular effect.

The males often display in the tops of trees but recent observations suggest that the birds also display and mate near the forest floor.