Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin

Overview

The pale-bellied tyrant-manakin (Neopelma pallescens) is a species of bird in the family Pipridae. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, although its population is believed to be decreasing despite a very large range. The species is monotypic, meaning it has no recognised subspecies.

Identification

• Length of approximately 14 cm with a weight between 16 and 20.5 g, featuring identical plumage in both sexes.
• Adults possess a large bright yellow patch with dusky borders on the crown, while the upperparts, wings, and tail are olive.
• The throat is whitish with faint gray streaks, the breast is pale olivaceous gray, and the belly is pale creamy whitish.
• Song consists of a series of one long and two short hoarse, froglike notes described as 'wreh-wrawra'; calls are a hurried 'rutrut---' where the 'rut' is upslurred and repeated up to seven times.

Habitat

Found in Brazil, Guyana, and possibly Bolivia, the species has a disjunct distribution primarily covering Atlantic forests from Maranhão to Rio Grande do Norte and Mato Grosso. It inhabits deciduous and gallery woodlands, favouring areas with heavy growth of vines up to an elevation of 700 m.

Diet

Specific details regarding diet and foraging behaviour have not been studied, but it is believed to feed mostly on insects and some fruit.

Did you know?

Individual males display to females by leaping up from a branch and landing facing the opposite direction, although little else is known about the species' breeding biology.