Golden-headed Manakin

Ceratopipra erythrocephala

Males gather at leks and snap their wings like tiny whips. The crack is the message. The golden head closes the deal.

Population: 5,000,000–50,000,000 mature individuals (decreasing trend; suspected loss of 1-9% per decade due to forest habitat loss, ~2016-2024 estimates)
Habitat: Tropical and subtropical moist lowland and montane forest, secondary growth, and plantations; sea level to about 1,100–2,000 m elevation
Fun fact: Male Golden-headed Manakins perform an elaborate cooperative lek display — rapid jumps, slides, and a moonwalk-like slide along a horizontal perch accompanied by buzzing wing-whirs — with groups of up to a dozen males displaying together to attract females.
Range: Northern South America and eastern Panama: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana), Brazil (north of the Amazon/Ucayali), Ecuador, and Peru; non-migratory resident; range spans roughly 5,010,000 km²
Diet: Mostly fruit, supplemented with insects and spiders
Size: 0.094 m
Wingspan: 0.17 m
Lifespan: 10 years

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