This is Bird Note.

A few times each year, the Eastern Paradise WIDA puts on its party clothes.

This small finch, found in East Africa, is just five inches long, with a black tail, brown back, and patterned face markings. But when it's time to mate,

the male molts into breeding plumage, his head turns glossy black, his neck, golden yellow,

and breast a vivid orange. But the best part? He sprouts extravagant long black tail feathers

two or three times the length of his body.

The male paradise white as tail feathers are not just super long, but also broad, as if they belong to a much bigger bird.

It almost looks like the bird is wearing a long black cape.

That's how it got its nickname, the widow bird,

because it looks like a widowed woman in black morning clothes.

It's a competitive scene during breeding season

with lots of long-tailed males chasing one another.

The more a male gets chased,

the more likely he is to grow a slightly shorter tail,

which could make it harder for him to stand out for the ladies.

So just remember, never underestimate the power of a good party outfit.

For Bird Note, I'm Mary McCann.