Chiroxiphia caudata
The Blue Manakin, *Chiroxiphia caudata*, is a spectacularly colored passerine endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern South America, renowned for its vivid sexual dimorphism. Males are instantly recognizable by their brilliant cerulean blue plumage, contrasting sharply with jet-black wings and tail, and crowned with a striking crimson cap. A defining feature of the male is its pair of elongated, filamentous central tail feathers, which can add significant length to its 13-15 cm body. F...
Resident in humid evergreen forests, secondary growth, and forest edges, typically at low to mid-elevations up to 1,500 meters, primarily within the Atlantic Forest biome.
Primarily frugivorous, consuming a variety of small fruits and berries; supplemented with insects such as spiders and small beetles gleaned from leaves and branches.
Blue Manakins are diurnal, spending their day foraging or, for males, engaged in elaborate lekking activities within the forest's mid-story and understory. Males participate in an extraordinary cooperative courtship display at established leks, where groups of 2-7 males, often closely related, pe...
The Blue Manakin is a non-migratory, resident species found exclusively within the Atlantic Forest biome of southeastern South America. Its extensive primary range spans southeastern Brazil, extending from Bahia south through Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa ...
Least Concern
- The male Blue Manakin's elongated central tail feathers can extend its overall length by up to 5 cm, making it a distinctive silhouette. - They are famous for their "dance teams" at leks, where up to seven males cooperate in acrobatic displays, yet only the dominant "alpha" male typically gets ...