Golden-Collared Manakin Dances Like It's 'Shot Out Of A Cannon' (VIDEO)

Generally we think of birds moving in a fairly conventional manner: flapping their wings to propel their hollow boned bodies through the air. But this bird is different -- jumping through the air as though "shot out of a cannon," as one researcher describes it.

According to Treehugger, the dance that you can see for yourself below is part of the mating ritual of the golden-collared manakin, recently filmed by researchers studying the bird's unique behavior.

From Treehugger:

Clearly, UCLA ecology and evolutionary biology professor Barney Schlinger is smitten with the tiny bird, native to Central America -- though that's the dance's desired affect. According to the research team, the male golden-collared manakin's courtship acrobatics are designed to display his remarkably quick motor-skills. After all, the female manakins love nothing more than a fast dancer.

Amazingly, the bird's heart-rate experiences a serious spike in order to make the move, boosting it from around 600 beats per minute to an astounding 1,300.

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