Information About

White-bearded Manakin




  Name White-bearded Manakin
  Regnum Animal ia
  Phylum Chordata
  Classis Aves
  Ordo Passeriformes
  Familia Pipridae
  Genus '' Manacus ''
  Species '''''M manacus'''''
  Binomial ''Manacus manacus''
  Binomial Authority ( Linnaeus , 1766 )


The White-bearded Manakin, ''Manacus manacus'', is a small Passerine Bird which breeds in tropical South America . It is found from Colombia , Venezuela and Trinidad south to Bolivia and northern Argentina .

This Manakin is a fairly common bird of forests, second growth and plantations. The female builds a shallow cup nest low in a tree; two brown-mottled white Egg s are laid, and incubated entirely by the female for about 18-19 days, with a further 13-15 days to fledging. The young are fed mainly on regurgitated fruit with some Insect s.

Like other manakins, White-bearded Manakin is a compact, brightly coloured forest bird, typically 10.7 cm long and weighing 16.5 g. The adult male has a black crown, upper back wings and tail, and the plumage is otherwise white. He has orange legs.

The female and young males are olive-green and resemble female Golden-headed Manakin s, but they have orange legs. The race Endemic to Trinidad, ''M. m. trinitatis'' is larger than mainland birds, and the female has yellower underparts..

The male White-bearded Manakin has a fascinating breeding display at a communal Lek . Each male clears a patch of forest floor to bare earth, and perches on a bare stick. The display consists of rapid leaps between sticks and the ground, accompanied by a loud wing snap, the whirring of the wings, and a ''chee-poo'' call. Groups of up to 70 birds may perform together, the largest leks being in Trinidad.

Apart from the buzzing display song, White-bearded Manakin has a number of other calls, including a trilled musical ''peeerr''.

These manakins eat Fruit and some Insect s.


REFERENCES

  • ''Birds of Venezuela'' by Hilty, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5

  • ''Birds of Trinidad and Tobago'' by ffrench, ISBN 0-7136-6759-1