The club-winged manakin is a species of bird in the family Pipridae. It is found in Colombia and Ecuador.
Region
Chocó biogeographic region (western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador)
Typical Environment
Occupies humid foothill and montane cloud forests on the west slope of the Andes. It favors dense understory and vine tangles, especially along ravines and steep forested slopes. Leks are often established in shaded, well-vegetated spots where sound carries. It may use forest edges and second growth but shows a preference for mature, undisturbed forest.
Altitude Range
400–1600 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Famous for its unique 'violin-like' sound, the male produces music by rubbing specialized secondary wing feathers together, a rare example of mechanical sound production in birds. Its radius bone is unusually thick to withstand the strain of rapid wing vibrations during display. Males gather in leks to perform these displays, while females handle nesting and chick-rearing alone.
![The structures were first noted by P. L. Sclater in 1860, and the sound production adaptations were discussed by Charles Darwin in 1871.[3][8]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/PipraWing.jpg/480px-PipraWing.jpg)
The structures were first noted by P. L. Sclater in 1860, and the sound production adaptations were discussed by Charles Darwin in 1871.[3][8]
Temperament
shy but active in display arenas
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Polygynous and lekking: males gather at traditional sites and perform wing-generated songs and postures to attract females. Females select mates, then alone build a small cup nest and rear the young without male assistance. Outside the breeding season, they may forage singly or in loose associations in the understory.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
The male’s primary 'song' is a clear, sustained, violin-like tone produced by rubbing specialized wing feathers together at high speed. It may be preceded or followed by sharp ticks and soft whistles. Vocal calls are thin and high-pitched, but the mechanical wing tone is the hallmark.
Plumage
Male is rich rufous to chestnut with dark wings bearing pale bars and the distinctive swollen, clubbed secondaries; female is olive-green above with paler underparts. Plumage is smooth and sleek, with minimal streaking.
Diet
Primarily consumes small, soft fruits and berries, swallowing them whole and later dispersing seeds. Supplements diet with small arthropods gleaned from foliage or snatched in short sallies. Foraging is methodical in the understory and lower midstory.
Preferred Environment
Feeds along shaded forest understory, vine tangles, and at fruiting shrubs and small trees. Will visit edges and light gaps when fruiting is abundant.
