The sulphur-bellied tyrant-manakin is a species of bird in the family Pipridae. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil and Peru.
Region
Southwestern Amazonia
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland tropical rainforest of Bolivia, western Brazil (Acre and adjacent Amazonas), and southeastern Peru. Favors terra firme and seasonally flooded (várzea) forests, especially where bamboo thickets are present. Typically keeps to the shaded understory and lower midstory layers. It can use forest edges and old second-growth if understory structure remains dense.
Altitude Range
100–900 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Despite the name, this manakin is a rather drab, bamboo-loving understory bird with a conspicuously yellow belly. It belongs to the manakin family (Pipridae) but resembles small flycatchers in posture and behavior, hence 'tyrant-manakin.' It is most easily detected by its thin, high-pitched calls rather than by sight. Often associated with Guadua bamboo patches in the southwestern Amazon.
Temperament
shy and unobtrusive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Usually solitary or in pairs, sometimes loosely associating with mixed-species understory flocks. Males call from low perches and perform modest display movements rather than elaborate leks typical of some manakins. Nests are small, cup-shaped, and placed low in dense understory vegetation. Both sexes remain close to cover and rarely venture into open spaces.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives thin, high-pitched whistles and short, sibilant notes that carry poorly through dense foliage. Vocalizations are simple and repetitive, often delivered from a concealed perch. Contact calls can sound insect-like.
