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.
Breeding / Nesting:
The female builds a shallow cup nest low in a tree; two brown-mottled white eggs 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 insects.
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 (competitive mating displays or dancing grounds) being in Trinidad.
Calls / Vocalizations
Apart from the buzzing display song, White-bearded Manakin has a number of other calls, including a trilled musical peeerr.
Description:
Like other manakins, White-bearded Manakin is a compact, brightly colored 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 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.
Diet / Feeding:
These manakins eat fruit and some insects.
