Description: The male Blue-crowned manakin has a velvety black compact stubby body with a bright blue crown on his head. The female has green plumage and a yellow belly. The bill and legs are dark grayish-black and the eyes are reddish- maroon.
Size: These small, stout birds are about 3.5 inches (9.0 cm) in length and weigh between 0.28-1.1 ounce (8- 31 gr).
Behavior: Males gather in a lek where they perform a simple and quiet display (as compared to some other manakins) which often involves back and forth flights between their advertising perches; bowing its head forward while giving a musical trill.
Diet: Blue-crowned manakins forage mainly on small fruits and berries but they will eat insects. Food is often taken while they hover near a limb or dart up to grab food and return to their perch to eat.
Senses: Eyesight and hearing are used for mating and foraging.
Communication: Their song is a musical trill and sometimes a frog-like sound.
Reproduction: During breeding season, males gather in leks (an assembly area for courtship) where they perform a display of rapid, darting flights to attract a female. Males are very competitive during this time and will force other males out of their perches. After mating, females take on the responsibility of building the open cup nest, incubating the eggs and taking care of the chicks. Usually one or two eggs are laid. Incubation lasts about 18 to 20 days and the chicks fledge in about 13 to 15 days.
Habitat/range: Blue-crowned manakins inhabit tropical lowland evergreen forests from Costa Rica down through Colombia, Ecuador, Northern Bolivia and Central Brazil.
Status: They are listed as Least Concern on IUCN Red List.
