Manakins | Pipridae

Manakins | Saltarines

Manakins are small, compact songbirds of tropical forest with a short tail, a short, broad bill and relatively large eyes. In the region the family occurs only on Trinidad and Tobago, with three species: White-bearded and Golden-headed Manakins on Trinidad and Blue-backed Manakin on Tobago. Males are largely black or black and white, with a brightly coloured head, crown or back; females and young males are plain olive green and hard to tell apart. The diet consists mainly of small berries and fruit, often plucked from a twig in a short sally, supplemented with insects. Males take no part in nesting and display at fixed sites in the forest, alone or in groups. They make rapid jumps between twigs and produce snapping, buzzing or clicking sounds, which in White-bearded Manakin are made with the wings. The female alone builds a shallow cup slung in a horizontal fork and usually incubates two eggs. Identification is quickest by sound and by the colour pattern of the male.