Blue-rumped Manakin

Overview

The blue-rumped manakin (Lepidothrix isidorei) is a small bird in the family Pipridae, native to Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Classified as a Least Concern species by the IUCN, it has two recognised subspecies with a disjunct distribution separated by the Marañón River valley.

Identification

• Approximately 7.5 to 8.5 cm (3.0 to 3.3 in) in length with sexually dimorphic plumage.
• Males of the nominate subspecies feature a shiny white crown and upper nape, an azure rump, and predominantly black plumage; females have green upperparts, a duller green breast, and a yellowish gray belly.
• Both sexes possess a dark brownish red iris, a blackish maxilla, a gray mandible, and grayish legs and feet.
• The male's display call is described as a rising koooit or wreee repeated every 2–5 seconds, while its song is a squeaky, frog-like whenk repeated at slow intervals.

Habitat

This species inhabits humid subtropical forest in the Andean foothills. Its elevation range varies by region, reaching between 500 and 1,500 m in Colombia, 1,000 and 1,700 m in Ecuador, and 1,100 and 1,400 m in Peru. It is considered local in Colombia and Ecuador but locally fairly common in Peru.

Did you know?

Although almost nothing is known about the species' breeding biology, males have been observed displaying to females at a lek by crouching forward on a thin branch and raising their crown and rump feathers.