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RED-CAPPED MANAKIN  Ceratopipra mentalis 9.5–10.5cm. Humid forest,

adjacent shady clearings and second growth. Low to high, mainly at mid- levels

in shady understory, at times with mixed flocks. Displaying male ‘dance’

includes various slides, pivots, and leaps along mid-level horizontal branches,

accompanied by wing snaps and buzzes. Male unmistakable; female very drab,

note pinkish bill and legs. Imm. male like female but often some red flecks on

head (as is true of some older adult females), and eye becomes whitish in 1st

year (rarely white on adult female). SOUNDS: Calls include high sharp píp and

thin, drawn-out whistle, about 1 sec, often followed by sharp chip, tsssiuu chk!

In display, varied arrangements of sharp, often slightly liquid chips in short series; high overslurred

whistles tailing off, often followed by a rasping mechanical buzz or sharp chk; plus wing snaps, buzzes, and

rattles. STATUS: Fairly common on both slopes, locally to 1100m. (Mexico to w. Ecuador.)

BLUE-CROWNED MANAKIN  Lepidothrix coronata 8.5–9cm. Humid forest

and taller second growth, mainly at low to mid-levels in shady understory. In

display, males dart between branches of low trees while singing but with no

wing sound. Male often appears wholly black inside forest, blue crown best seen

when head turned. Female distinctive: grass-green overall (a color unlike other

female manakins) with grayish face. Imm. male like female but often has some

blue crown feathers. SOUNDS: Calls include an upward-inflected, extremely

frog-like croaking ch’reih and a slightly overslurred slow ringing trill, 0.5–1.5

secs. In display, male alternates twitters with frog calls, sometimes adds down­

slurred churring chirrr. STATUS: Fairly common on s. Pacific slope, uncommon on extreme s. Caribbean

slope; locally to 1400m. (Costa Rica to S America.)

WHITE-RUFFED MANAKIN  Corapipo altera 9.5–10cm. Humid lower

foothill forest, adjacent shady clearings and second growth. Mainly at low–mid

levels in understory, at times in loose small groups; sometimes joins mixed

flocks. Display centers on a mossy log on forest floor, where males fly around in

slow-motion bounding and hovering flights and alight briefly to flare their

ruffs. Male distinctive (ruff more restricted on Pacific slope); female told by dull

plumage, dark bill and legs. SOUNDS: Calls include a downslurred, high wiry

tssieu, and an abrupt high sssi. Short rippling twitters (in display?) and an abrupt

2-syllable snap-buzz in display. STATUS: Fairly common, mainly 500–1500m on

Pacific slope, 400–900m on Caribbean slope; descends to adjacent lowlands mainly Jul–Jan. (Honduras

to nw. Colombia.)

*WHITE-CROWNED MANAKIN  Pseudopipra pipra 9–10cm. Humid foothill

forest and adjacent second growth, mainly in dense shady understory. In display,

male flies between horizontal branches in mid-story, often with slow deep

wingbeats, showing off gleaming crown; flicks wings while perched. Striking

male unmistakable; female told by grayish head (variable, some have mostly

olive head with little gray, mainly on crown, perhaps imm. males?), reddish eyes,

grayish legs; cf. female Red-capped Manakin. Imm. like female, with brownish

to amber eyes. SOUNDS: Song from perch a harsh, upslurred, buzzy jzzrieh,

usually about every 20–60 secs; also quiet pip calls. STATUS: Uncommon on

Caribbean slope, mainly 700–1500m, rarely lower. (Costa Rica to S America.)