Manakins (Pipridae)

(Pipridae)

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Suborder: Tyranni (Suboscines)

Family: Tyrannidae

Thumbnail description
Small, stocky birds of Neotropical woodland and rainforest with short bills, short tails, and big eyes; males are marked with boldly patterned or exceptionally colorful plumage; females have dull, olive-brown plumage; the colorful males attract the drab females by performing elaborate displays, often on special display grounds called leks; the females alone build nests and raise the young; small fruits and some insects are plucked on the wing during sallying flight

Size
Length 3–5.9 in (7.5–15 cm); weight approximately 0.35–0.70 oz (10–20 g)

Number of genera, species
17 genera, 54 species

Habitat
Understory of subtropical woodlands to lush tropical rainforests

Conservation status
Critically Endangered: 1 species; Endangered: 1 species; Vulnerable: 2 species; Near Threatened: 1 species

Distribution
Neotropics from Mexico to Argentina, and the islands of Trinidad and Tobago

Evolution and systematics

No fossil manakins have been reported. Peters Checklist considers the manakins to be a distinct family (Pipridae) with 17 genera and about 54 species. Based upon DNA-DNA studies and other characteristics, many experts now consider the true manakins to be a subfamily (Piprinae) of the suboscine passerine family Tyrannidae (tyrant flycatchers). This sub-family is comprised of 11 genera and 41 species, including the genera Heterocercus, Chloropipo, Xenopipo, Chiroxiphia, Antilophia, Manacus, Ilicura, Corapipo, Masius, Machaeropterus, and Pipra. The following six genera, comprising 13 species, are no longer grouped with true manakins under this taxonomic system and will not be covered further in this discussion: Sapayoa, Schiffornis, Tyranneutes, Neopelma, Neopipo, and Piprites.

Physical characteristics

The manakins are beautiful, stocky little passerines, most less than 4.9 in (12.5 cm) long. They have short, somewhat broadened and very slightly curved bills; rounded, short wings, sometimes with feathers modified in the males to produce sound effects. The legs are short. They have three toes in front and one in back of the foot, but the front middle toe is fused at its base with one of the adjoining toes. The eyes are large. Sexes are different. Female and juvenile plumage is typically drab olive-green. Male coloration is stunning—basic black and olive wings are contrasted with patches of intense white, blue, red, or yellow on areas such as the crown, neck, and mantle. Juvenile males may go through several intermediate subadult molts before acquiring full adult male coloration.

Distribution

Neotropics from Mexico to Argentina, and the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. These fascinating perching birds are found only in the Neotropics. They are widely distributed in the understory of subtropical woodlands and tropical forests of Central and South America, and a few nearby islands. All manakins are resident, non-migratory species within their range.

Habitat

Understory of subtropical woodlands to lush tropical rain-forests.

Behavior

Birdwatchers, eco-tourists, and professional ornithologists alike find manakins to be among the most beautiful and enchanting of all the world's birds. The displays may include distinctive songs and calls, and mechanical sounds (such as "whirring" and "wing snapping" noises) made with modified flight feathers. The ritualized displays may be conducted at leks by a single male, or, in some species, multiple males (from 2–3) cooperate during courtship, with copulation usually going to the most dominant male of the duo or trio.

Feeding ecology and diet

Small, berry-sized fruits and insects are taken during quick, sallying flights. Some manakins seem to be particularly fond of fruits which are bluish or purplish in color. The bluish feces often contain seeds.

Reproductive biology

Manakins do not form a lasting pair-bond, but are polygamous, using a leh (courtship area) where females choose and mate with a male. After copulation, the females fly off alone to build the nests, incubate the eggs, and raise the young. The nest is constructed using woven fibers and grasses to form a tiny hammock in small trees or ferns usually over water. Incubation lasts from 17–21 days, with short fledging times of 13–15 days for one to two young.

Conservation status

According to IUCN, the newly discovered Araripe manakin (Antilophia bokermanni) is Critically Endangered due to its extremely small Brazilian range and population, coupled with pressure on its habitat due to development. The golden-crowned manakin (Lepidothrix (Pipra) vilasboasi) is Vulnerable on the basis of its very small range in Brazil. The yellow-headed manakin (Chloropipo flavicapilla), Wied's tyrant-manakin (Neopelma aurifrons), and the black-capped manakin (Piprites pileatus) are considered Near Threatened, Endangered, and

Vulnerable, respectively. No manakin is currently listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Significance to humans

Manakins may be of indirect economic importance to countries which cater to birdwatchers and eco-tourists. Their images are popular on postage stamps of their range countries, as well as t-shirts and local artwork.

Species accounts

Resources

Bateman, G., ed. All The World's Animals: Songbirds. New York: Torstar Books Inc., 1985.

Dunning, J. S. South American Land Birds: A Photographic Guide to Identification. Newtown Square, PA: Harrowood Books, 1982.

Foster, M. S. "Chiroxiphia linearis (Saltanix Colilargo, Toledo, Long-tailed Manakin)." In Costa Rican Natural History, edited by D. H. Janzen. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1983.

Hilton-Taylor, C., comp. 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK.: IUCN, 2000.

Hilty, S. L., and W. L. Brown. A Guide to the Birds of Colombia. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1986.

Johnsgard, P. A. Arena Birds: Sexual Selection and Behavior. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1994.

Meyer de Schauensee, R., and W. H. Phelps. A Guide to the Birds of Venezuela. Newtown Square, PA: Harrowood Books, 1982.

Ridgley, Robert S., and G. Tudor. The Birds of South America. Vol. II: The Suboscine Passerines. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1994.

Sibley, C. G., and B. L. Monroe, Jr. Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1990.

Sibley, C. G., and B. L. Monroe, Jr. A Supplement to Distribution and Taxonomy of Birds of the World. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1993.

Stiles, F. G., and A. F. Skutch. A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Utica, NY: Cornell University Press, 1989.

Coelho, G., and W. Silva. "A New Species of Antilophia (Passeriformes: Pipridae) from Chapada do Araripe, Ceará, Brazil." Ararajuba 6 (1998): 81–84.

Foster, M. S. "Odd Couples in Manakins: A Study of Social Organization and Cooperative Breeding in Chiroxiphia linearis." American Naturalist 111 (1977): 845–853.

Prum, R. O. "Phylogenetic Analysis of the Evolution of Display Behavior in the Neotropical Manakins (Aves: Pipridae)." Ethology 84 (1990): 202–231.

Prum, R. O. "Sexual Selection and the Evolution of Mechanical Sound Production in Manakins (Aves: Pipridae)." Animal Behaviour 55 (1998): 977–994.

Association for BioDiversity Information. 1101 Wilson Blvd., 15th Floor, Arlington, VA 22209 USA. Web site:

University of Michigan. 3019 Museum of Zoology, 1109 Geddes Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1079 USA. Phone:(734) 647-2208. Fax: (734) 763-4080. E-mail: rbpayne @umich.edu Web site:

Attenborough, D. The Life of Birds, Episode 7: Finding Partners. BBC Video: British Broadcasting Corporation.1998.

[Article by: Charles E. Siegel, MS]