The Red-capped Manakin is a member of the family Pipridae, limited to areas of the lowland tropics. Manakins have experienced a long history of sexual selection, resulting in a selection for brightly-colored males with elaborate courtship displays and females with less coloration. They are generally lek-breeders, typified by central display areas called leks that are used by several males in order to attract a female. The females visit the lek and observe these displays before settling on one particular male as a mate. The Red-capped Manakin display on the lek can be viewed in a well-known clip posted to YouTube.
Photo by Lynn Barber, Fort Worth Audubon Society
Birdwatchers looking for manakins find it difficult to see them in the dense understory layers of a forest. However, the birds can be brought out more into the open by mimicking some of their sounds through clapping and finger-snapping. The birds, curious about a potential rival nearby, will move into an open perch to investigate the sounds and allow for a closer look.
Photo by Lynn Barber, Fort Worth Audubon Society
Birdwatchers looking for manakins find it difficult to see them in the dense understory layers of a forest. However, the birds can be brought out more into the open by mimicking some of their sounds through clapping and finger-snapping. The birds, curious about a potential rival nearby, will move into an open perch to investigate the sounds and allow for a closer look.
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