The white-crowned manakin is a small passerine bird in the manakin family Pipridae. This common and extremely widespread manakin is one of the most easily identified, even in female plumage. It is a resident breeder in the tropical New World from Costa Rica to northeastern Peru and eastern Brazil. It was traditionally placed in the genus Pipra, but is now placed in its own monotypic genus Pseudopipra. It is a small, compact bird about 10 cm (3.9 in) long. Males have black plumage with a white crown which can be erected as a crest, the only member of the Pipridae to possess both an all-black body and a gleaming white crown. Females and juveniles are olive-green, with a grey head and throat, and greyish-green or olive underparts. At breeding time, males are involved in a lekking behaviour. This is a fairly common species with a wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".
Region
Central America and northern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Central America (e.g., Costa Rica and Panama) through the Chocó and into the Amazon and Guiana Shield, reaching eastern Brazil and northeastern Peru. It inhabits humid lowland and foothill forests, especially forest edges, second growth, light gaps, and along streams. Often forages in the shaded understory and midstory where small fruiting shrubs are abundant. It tolerates some habitat disturbance and can persist in fragmented forests if fruit resources remain. Leks are typically located in relatively open understory patches.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The white-crowned manakin is the only manakin with an all-black male plumage paired with a gleaming white crown, which can be raised into a tiny crest. Males gather in leks where they perform rapid, acrobatic displays with wing snaps and buzzes to attract females. Females alone build the small cup nest and rear the young. This species has a broad Neotropical range and is generally common in suitable lowland forests.
Female
Temperament
shy in dense cover but bold at leks
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick, darting flights through the understory
Social Behavior
Males display in leks, each holding a small court where they perform hops, dashes, and wing-snaps to entice visiting females. Courtship involves visual shows and mechanical sounds produced by the wings. Females build a small, delicate cup nest alone and provide all parental care. Clutches are typically two eggs placed low to mid-level in the understory.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Vocalizations are soft, thin notes and buzzy trills delivered from low perches. Displaying males also produce sharp snaps and whirs with their wings, which carry farther than their calls in dense forest.
