Long-tailed Manakin

Overview

The long-tailed manakin (Chiroxiphia linearis) is a small, plump bird in the family Pipridae native to Central America. It inhabits both wet and dry tropical and subtropical forests across a wide range and is rated as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Small and plump, measuring about 10 cm long and weighing 18 g.
• Males are rich black with a bright blue back, red crown, and red legs, featuring greatly elongated central tail feathers.
• Females and juveniles are olive-green with paler underparts; some females may show a small amount of red in the crown.

Habitat

Found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Its natural habitats include subtropical or tropical dry forest, moist lowland forest, and heavily degraded former forest.

Did you know?

Males form long-term partnership duos or trios to sing in synchrony and perform a complex coordinated courtship dance to attract females, though only the alpha male inseminates her.