Birds
Blue-crowned Manakin
Lepidothrix coronata
At a traditional display perch deep in the Amazon understory, a male blue-crowned manakin flashes a vivid blue crown against glossy black plumage, competing with rivals for the attention of a visiting female.
Overview
The blue-crowned manakin, Lepidothrix coronata, is a Least Concern bird found across lowland rainforest understory throughout the Amazon basin. Its brilliant blue crown patch, lekking courtship behaviour, and striking difference between male and female plumage make it a classic example of the manakin family’s elaborate approach to attracting mates.
A stage in the understory
Male blue-crowned manakins gather at traditional display sites known as leks, where each defends a small perch and performs for passing females, a system that concentrates the pressure of courtship competition into a single shared arena.
Status
Least Concern, remaining widespread across suitable rainforest understory habitat throughout its Amazon basin range.
Blue-crowned Manakin: common questions
Why is it called the blue-crowned manakin?
Males show a vivid blue patch atop an otherwise glossy black body, a feature that gives the species its common name and stands out clearly during courtship display.
What is a lek, and does the blue-crowned manakin use one?
A lek is a traditional display site where males gather to perform courtship displays for visiting females, and yes, the blue-crowned manakin is a lekking species, with males competing for attention at shared display perches.
Do male and female blue-crowned manakins look the same?
No, females show plain olive-green plumage, quite different from the glossy black body and bright blue crown of males.
What does the blue-crowned manakin eat?
It is an omnivore, eating small fruit along with insects gleaned from rainforest understory and mid-level vegetation.