Golden-headed manakin

Pipra erythrocephala

(Photo from Flickr)

Common name:
golden-headed manakin (en); cabeça-de-ouro (pt); manakin à tête d'or (fr); saltarín cabecidorado (es); gelbkopfpipra (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Pipridae

Range:
These birds are found in northern South America, from Southern panama, through Colombia and Venezuela and into the Guyanas, eastern Ecuador, northern Peru and Brazil north of the Amazon river. They are also found in Trinidad and Tobago.

Size:
The golden-headed manakin is 9-10 cm long and weighs 12-14 g.

Habitat:
These birds are mainly found in the under and midstory of tropical moist forests, but also to some extent in second growths and plantations. they occur from sea level up to an altitude of 2.o00 m.

Diet:
They are frugivorous, taking small fruits which are plucked while in flight or gleaned from the foliage. Their diet is mainly composed of the fruits of Melastomaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Moraceae, Araliaceae, Rubiaceae and Araceae.

Breeding:
Golden-headed manakins breed all year round. The males are polygamous, forming a lek where they perform a display to attract females. After copulating with the females the males have no further part in the breeding process. The female builds a shallow cup nest made of
plant fibres, rootlets and a few dead leaves. The nest is placed in a fork in a tree or scrub, typically up to 3 m above the ground, but occasionally as high as 11 m above the ground. There she lays 1-2 yellowish eggs with brown mottles, which she incubates alone for 16-19 days. The chicks are fed by the female alone and fledge 14-20 days after hatching.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. Although the golden-headed manakin is widespread and has a stable population, current rates of deforestation in the Amazon basin may pose a future threat to this species.

White-collared manakin

Manacus candei

Photo by Tristan Bantock (Flickr)

Common name:
white-collared manakin (en); rendeira-de-colar-branco (pt); manakin à col blanc (fr); saltarín cuelliblanco (es); weißbandpipra (de)

Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Pipridae

Range:
This species is found along the Caribbean slopes of Central America, from south-eastern Mexico to northern Panama.

Size:
These birds are 11 cm long and weigh 18-20 g.

Habitat:
The white-collared manakin in found moist tropical forests and scrubland, typically in open woodlands, thickets along forest edges, second growths, old cocoa plantations and along watercourses. They occur from sea level up to an altitude of 950 m.

Diet:
They mainly feed on fruits, but will also take some small insects.

Breeding:
White-collared manakins are polygamous, with the males displaying in leks to attract females, having no further part in the reproductive process after mating. The female builds the nest, a delicately woven cup made of black fungal rhizomorphs, plant fibres and inflorescences, placed in an horizontal fork in a tree up to 2 m above the ground. There she lays 2 white eggs with brown sprinkles, which she incubates alone for 18-21 days. She also feeds an takes care of the chicks alone until they fledge.

Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least Concern)
This species has a relatively large breeding range and a global population estimated at 50.000-500.000 individuals. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.

White-bearded manakin

Manacus manacus

Photo by Dário Sanches (Flickrhivemind)

Common name:
white-bearded manakin (en); rendeira (pt); manakin casse-noisette (fr); saltarín barbiblanco (es); weißbrustpipra (de)


Taxonomy:
Order Passeriformes
Family Pipridae


Range:
This South American species is found from Colombia, Venezuela and the Guyanas, through Brazil, Ecuador and Peru, and into Bolivia, Paraguay and northern Argentina.


Size:
These birds are 10-11 cm long and weigh 16,5-18 g.


Habitat:
These birds are mostly found in tropical and sub-tropical moist forests, especially in gallery forests along river and streams and along forest edges with dense undergrowth. They are also found in second growths and other degraded former forests. They are present from sea level up to an altitude of 1.000 m.


Diet:
White-bearded manakins are mostly frugivorous, eating a wide range of small fruits which they usually swallow whole. This makes them an important seed disperser. They also eat seeds and arthropods including beetles, flies, termite alates and spiders.


Breeding:
They can breed all year round, with the local breeding season varying according to the region. The female builds the nest, a shallow cup woven with rootlets, dead leaves and plant fibres, and lined with finer materials. The nest is built between two horizontal twigs and secured with spider webs. It is placed in a bush or small tree, up 1,5 m above the ground, typically near water. The female lays 2 white eggs with brown mottles, which she incubates alone for 18-19 days. The female raises the chicks alone and they fledge 13-15 days after hatching.


Conservation:
IUCN status - LC (Least concern)
The white-bearded manakin has a very large breeding range and is described as fairly common. The population is suspected to be stable in the absence of evidence for any declines or substantial threats.