Lepidothrix velutina
The Velvety Manakin (Lepidothrix velutina) is a captivating, small passerine bird celebrated for its striking sexual dimorphism and elaborate courtship rituals. Males are instantly recognizable with their deep, velvety black plumage, contrasted vividly by a brilliant yellow crown patch and bright yellow thighs. Averaging only about 9.5 cm (3.7 inches) in length and weighing a mere 10-12 grams, they are among the smaller manakin species in their range. Females, in stark contrast, exhibit a cry...
This manakin primarily inhabits lowland and foothill moist evergreen forests, secondary growth, and forest edges, typically found from sea level up to 1000 meters, occasionally reaching 1400 meters.
Their diet consists mainly of small, soft fruits and berries, which they typically pluck in flight, supplemented by small insects like beetles and flies caught mid-air or gleaned from leaves.
Velvety Manakins are diurnal and often observed solitarily or in mixed-species foraging flocks outside of the breeding season. Males are famous for their elaborate lekking displays, clearing small 'courts' on the forest floor, where they perform energetic dances, involving rapid wing beats, snaps...
The Velvety Manakin is a resident species found across a broad swathe of Central and South America. Its range extends from the Caribbean slope of Costa Rica, through the entirety of Panama, including both Caribbean and Pacific lowlands, as well as the Darién Gap. Southward, its distribution conti...
Least Concern
- The Velvety Manakin is one of the smallest manakin species within its extensive Central and South American range. - Males possess specially modified wing feathers that produce distinct mechanical sounds (like snaps and whirs) crucial to their elaborate courtship displays. - Its scientific name,...