Golden-headed Manakin
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| Pipra erythrocephala (Linnaeus, 1766) |
The Golden-headed Manakin, Pipra erythrocephala, is a small passerine bird which breeds in tropical South America. It is found from Panama, Colombia and Trinidad south and east to the Guianas and Brazil and northern Argentina.
This manakin is a common bird of forests, second growth and plantations. The female builds a shallow cup nest low in a tree; two brown-mottled yellowish eggs are laid, and incubated entirely by the female for about 16-17 days.
Like other manakins, Golden-headed Manakin is a compact, brightly coloured forest bird, typically 9.4 cm long and weighing 12.5 g. The adult male is black apart from a golden cap, white and red thighs, pink legs and a yellowish bill.
The female and young males are olive-green and resemble female White-bearded Manakins, but they have pink legs.
The male Golden-headed Manakin has a fascinating breeding display at a communal lek. Each male occupies a horizontal perch 6-12 m high and rapidly jumps, slides, or darts to other perches. The display is accompanied by the whirring of the wings and a buzzing zit-zit call. Groups of up to 12 birds may perform together.
Apart from the buzzing display song, Golden-headed Manakin has a number of other calls, including a buzzing pir pir prrrrrt.
These manakins eat fruit and some insects.
[edit] References
- ffrench, Richard (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, 2nd edition, Comstock Publishing. ISBN 0-8014-9792-2.
- Hilty, Steven L (2003). Birds of Venezuela. London: Christopher Helm. ISBN 0-7136-6418-5.
