White-bearded Manakin
Manacus manacus
Fairly common and widespread through much of South America. Males are distinctive with white throat, sharply defined black cap, black back and wings, and grayish belly. Legs bright orange-red. Females are duller olive with paler belly. Note red legs to help separate from other female manakins. Like most manakins, quite plump with a rather short tail and bill. Males gather at display sites in the understory of forest, where they make loud snapping noises with their wings. Also listen for a descending “peew” call. Away from display sites, rather inconspicuous and usually encountered singly, often around a fruiting tree.
Identification
Like other manakins, the white-bearded manakin is a compact, brightly coloured forest bird, typically 10.7 centimetres (4.2 in) long and weighing 16.5 grams (0.58 oz). The adult male has a black crown, upper back, wings and tail, and the plumage is otherwise white. He has orange legs.<p>The female and young males are olive-green and resemble female golden-headed manakins, but they have orange legs. The race endemic to Trinidad, M. m. trinitatis is larger than mainland birds, and the female has yellower underparts. Apart from the buzzing display song, the white-bearded manakin has a number of other calls, including a trilled musical peeerr.
Taxonomy
Genus: Manacus; Family: Pipridae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Manacus manacus
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Pipridae
- Genus
- Manacus
Range and habitat
In South America, two thirds of white-bearded manakin's range is in the combined Amazon Basin, the Guianas, and the Orinoco River drainage of Venezuela; also eastern Colombia. Three disjunct populations occur: Pacific coastal Ecuador, with southwestern Colombia; coastal and inland western Venezuela with northwestern Colombia; and the largest, southeastern Brazil, with inland regions bordering Paraguay in the south, and from Paraná state to coastal Pernambuco in the northeast.<p>Only one area of the Amazon Basin does not have the species, the 2200 km Purus River region in southwestern Amazonas state.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: stable.
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Giant Coot
Fulica gigantea
Distinctive huge coot of lakes and bogs in high Andes. Often seen standing along shorelines or on big weed-matted nest mounds. Note the colorful bill, long red legs, and huge feet. Prolonged nesting season means that all stages of nesting and young can be seen together, from small fuzzy black chicks to full-sized juveniles, which are pale grayish with a frosty whitish head and neck. Often rather aggressive. Loud clucking and purring songs carry well and are given frequently.
Black-and-cinnamon Fantail
Rhipidura nigrocinnamomea
A fairly small, long-tailed bird of montane forest on Mindanao. Rufous above with darker wings, a tail frequently held cocked and fanned, pale orange underparts, a black hood, and a broad white eyebrow. Forages in the understory for insects and often joins mixed-species flocks. Bundok Flycatcher and Eyebrowed Thrush both have orange chest, a black head, and a white brow, but Black-and-cinnamon Fantail is larger than the flycatcher and smaller than the thrush, with a totally different shape and habits. Voice includes a sharp “gyuk!” or grating chatter.
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