The band-tailed manakin is a species of bird in the family Pipridae. It is a small, frugivorous passerine found in humid montane and lowland tropical forests throughout Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru.
Region
South-central South America (southwestern Amazonia to adjacent lowland forests)
Typical Environment
Occurs in humid lowland and foothill tropical forests, including terra firme, floodplain (várzea), and gallery forests. Frequently uses forest edges, secondary growth, and bamboo thickets where fruiting shrubs are abundant. Often forages in the understory to midstory but may ascend to the canopy at fruiting trees. Found across parts of Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1600 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The band-tailed manakin is a small lekking bird whose males perform rapid jumps, flights, and sharp wing-snaps to attract females. It is highly frugivorous and an important seed disperser in tropical forests. Females alone build the nest and rear the young, while males invest primarily in display.
Temperament
secretive but active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Males gather in small leks where each defends a display perch and performs coordinated jumps, darts, and wing-snaps. They are polygynous; males do not provide parental care. Females build a small cup nest in low to mid-level vegetation and rear the young alone.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Calls include thin whistles and high, buzzy notes interspersed with sharp mechanical wing-snaps. The display involves rapid sequences of snaps and soft trills that carry through the understory.
Plumage
Male is mostly black with a bright red crown and nape and a contrasting pale yellow band across the tail; female is olive-green with a paler belly and a faint tail band.
Diet
Primarily consumes small fruits and berries from understory trees, shrubs, and palms. Frequently swallows fruit whole and later disperses seeds, aiding forest regeneration. Will occasionally glean small insects and other arthropods, especially during breeding.
Preferred Environment
Forages at fruiting trees and shrubs in the understory and midstory, along forest edges, light gaps, and riverine corridors. Often visits mixed-species fruiting aggregations when resources are abundant.
