The pin-tailed manakin (Ilicura militaris ) is a suboscine species of bird within the manakin family, Pipridae. This species is endemic to the Eastern coast of Brazil within the humid Atlantic Forest, and its range extends from the State of Bahia to the State of Rio Grande Do Sul. The pin-tailed manakin is monotypic within the genus Ilicura, and has no known subspecies. It is a relatively small species that has pronounced sexual dimorphism. Male birds of this species have a bright white neck, chest, auriculars, and flanks. They have black and dark-green wings, with a signature pin shape tail that has a small fork near the tip, helping to give it its common name in English. The males are most easily identified by their characteristically vibrant red fore-crown and rump. The females of this species are a muted green, except for their neck and auriculars—which are light grey, and their crème colored chest. Both male and female birds of this species share a slightly elongated head shape that gives them a distinguished raised forehead. The pin-tailed manakin's vocalizations are quiet, but resemble a high-pitched “see-see-see” in descending tones.
There has been very little research conducted on this species of manakin, and it especially lacks information on its ecology and breeding habits. The pin-tailed manakin is a primary frugivore, but it has been recorded consuming small amounts of insects on occasion. The diet is relatively unknown, but is hypothesized to be able to transform the keto-carotenoids found within its diet into rhodoxanthin, a rare pigment in animals, that gives this bird its signature red color. The pin-tailed manakin has an elaborate courtship ritual called lekking, and is suspected to breed sometime between November and February. This bird is non-migratory, and its conservation status is currently least concern, but its population numbers are hypothesized to be in decline.
A frugivore is an animal that thrives mostly on raw fruits or succulent fruit-like produce of plants such as roots, shoots, nuts, and seeds. Approx...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
No
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
P
starts withMales measure 12.5 cm (4.9 in), while the females measure 11 cm (4.3 in) from tail to beak at full maturity. There is clear sexual dimorphism between mature adults of this species, but can be nearly impossible to identify the sex for certain if they do not have the adult male colorations, as both juvenile males and females resemble each other. All pin-tailed manakins share some common traits: a forking tail at the very end of their rectrices, a slightly elongated forehead, brownish black legs, and bright yellow-orange irises. Adult male pin-tailed manakins have a slightly longer tail, with a very uniquely pigmented red fore-crown and rump, black wings with green secondaries, and a white chest that extends from their under-tail coverts all the way to their auriculars. Females are an olive-green color everywhere except for their grey neck and auriculars, and their crème colored chest extending to its under-tail coverts
The pin-tailed manakin is endemic to Brazil, specifically inhabiting the Atlantic Forest range from the State of Bahia to the State of Rio Grande Do Sul. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. They are not very commonly spotted within their range, but spend their time within the lower and middle strata of the rainforests. Their nests are built very similar to a cup, and holds a clutch of 2 to 3 eggs. Their distribution has not been studied in depth, and as a result there is not a firm grasp of where their populations may inhabit. Three pin-tailed manakins have been collected by the Museu Nacional in Rio de Janeiro that has their location of collection tagged as Nova Veneza, which is more inland and Northern than previously recorded, providing evidence for a possible extension of their range.
They feed mostly on small berries, but have been documented eating a few small insects as well. Like most manakins in the family Pipridae, they swallow their food whole. Most feeding observations of this bird have been located on the edges of forests, eating off of small fruit trees and shrubs. The fruits that it has been recorded eating most commonly are of the yellow magnolia (michelia champaca) and the ripe fruits of the chickweed plant (struthanthus polyrhysus). Food is plucked from the air in diving and snatching motions—they do not typically spend time on the plant picking berries to eat.
It is believed that the pin-tailed manakin is a solitary species, especially during the breeding season, in which the males create special arenas to display for females. The male pin-tailed manakin creates whirring and snapping noises from its wings during displays in flight. Males will hold an area of approximately 20 to 30 meters across, with a display site called a “lek” and a mating perch in the area. These territories are separate from any other male's territory, but within earshot of one another. The males will “garden” an area they would like to display at, by picking and pulling leaves, debris, and any other vegetation that has grown in the area until the ground is completely clear. They will also clear the space above their mating perch that obstruct the light, presumably to make their feathers appear more vibrant or make room for their display jumps and flights. Unlike any other species of manakin, the pin-tailed manakin's mating perch is not on the ground. The perch is approximately 3.3–20 meters above the ground, and the females are drawn to the male's display site by the male's frequently repeated, “see” calls that descend in volume and pitch throughout the day. Once a female is in the area, the male will draw her to his mating perch and jump back and forth over her, sometimes making a snapping noise in the air, and fluffing out the vibrant red rump with his chin down when he lands facing her. After the snapping sound in the air, it is typically followed by a special “weep” sound. Young males will also visit other male's display sites before they have their definitive plumage to practice their own displays and dances.
The pin-tailed manakin is not globally threatened, but is uncommon to fairly uncommon within the Atlantic Forest range of Brazil. According to the IUCN, the pin-tailed manakin is rated as Least Concern with an unknown quantity of individuals, suspected to be in decline from habitat destruction, but needs more research conducted to provide an accurate conservational account.
