Red-capped manakin
Ceratopipra mentalis
— Where the name comes from
Ceratopipra joins the Greek kéras, “horn”, and pipra, the name of a small bird: manakins often have erect feathers on the head. Mentalis means “of the chin”, for the yellow of the throat and thighs. Manakin comes from a Dutch-Caribbean name of uncertain meaning.
— Facts
- Group
- Birds · Aves
- Order
- Passerines
- Habitat
- Lowland and hill rainforest
- Range
- From southern Mexico to north-western Ecuador
- Size
- 10 cm, 12–18 g
- Diet
- Small fruit, insects
- Lifespan
- Not precisely known
— Characteristics
- 01
The male is black with a bright red head and yellow thighs.
- 02
Males display in communal arenas in the forest.
- 03
It makes sharp snapping sounds with its wings during display.
— What sets it apart
It does the moonwalk. In its arena the male perches on a horizontal branch and slides backwards with very rapid little steps, so fast and smooth that the body seems pulled along by a thread, exactly like the step made famous by Michael Jackson. The display goes on with leaps, zig-zag flights and wing-snaps, and a watching female decides within seconds. Male manakins pour much of their energy into these performances, while the female builds the nest and raises the chicks alone.
