Neopelma chrysocephalum
The Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin, *Neopelma chrysocephalum*, is a small, enigmatic passerine belonging to the diverse Tyrannidae family, despite its common name suggesting a link to true manakins. Measuring approximately 10-11 cm (4 inches) in length and weighing around 10-12 grams, this diminutive bird features an olive-green back, bright yellow underparts, and a pale grey face with a faint eye-ring. Its most distinctive field mark, the saffron-orange crest, is typically concealed, only be...
Found primarily in the understory and mid-story of humid lowland tropical and subtropical forests, often near edges, clearings, or secondary growth, typically below 900 meters elevation.
Mainly insectivorous, feeding on small arthropods like insects and spiders, occasionally supplementing their diet with small fruits or berries, typically gleaned from foliage.
Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakins are diurnal and generally solitary or found in pairs, often remaining hidden within dense vegetation. They forage primarily by gleaning insects and spiders from foliage and branches, employing short, quick sallies to snatch prey in mid-air or from the undersides of...
The Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin is a resident species distributed across northern South America. Its range extends from eastern Colombia (east of the Andes) and southern Venezuela, through the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana), and into northern Brazil. In Brazil, it is found in th...
Least Concern
- Despite its common name, the Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin is a true flycatcher (family Tyrannidae), not a manakin (family Pipridae). - Its dazzling saffron crest is usually kept flat against its head, making it difficult to spot unless the bird is agitated, displaying, or vocalizing. - This s...