White-crowned Manakin

Overview

The white-crowned manakin (Pseudopipra pipra) is a small passerine bird in the manakin family Pipridae. It is a common and extremely widespread resident breeder in the tropical New World, ranging from Costa Rica to northeastern Peru and eastern Brazil. This species is notable for being one of the most easily identified manakins, even in female plumage.

Identification

• Males are compact, short-tailed birds about 10 cm long with all-black plumage and a gleaming white crown that can be erected as a low crest.
• Females and juveniles are olive-green above with a grey head and throat, and greyish-green or olive underparts.
• Distinctive features include red eyes, a stout hooked bill, and dark legs.
• The male call is a buzzy 'jeeeee', which is louder and preceded by a popping 'p-p-p chee' when displaying.

Habitat

This species occupies the understory of dense humid forest and adjacent tall secondary woodland, extending to younger secondary forest and isolated forest islands in savannas. It is common in mountain foothills, typically breeding between 800 and 1600 m, though it occurs down to sea level in northeastern Venezuela.

Diet

The white-crowned manakin feeds low in the trees on fruit and some insects. It forages by plucking food items from the foliage while in flight.

Did you know?

Males engage in lekking behaviour where they fly between horizontal perches 3–12 m high and up to 50 m apart, using a swooping flight that changes to a slow butterfly-like flutter when a female is present.