Swallow-tailed Manakin Chiroxiphia caudata Scientific name definitions

Known in Brazil (to which country it is almost endemic) as the ‘Tangará’ or ‘Dançador’, this is one of the most immediately recognizable and beautiful species found in the Atlantic Forest, and is also very abundant. In the north of the species’ range it comes into partial contact with the congeneric Blue-backed Manakin (Chiroxiphia pareola), although the latter species usually occurs at lower elevations within the region of sympatry. The Swallow-tailed (or Blue) Manakin is a perennial favourite amongst birdwatchers, especially for its spectacular and noisy courtship rituals, which were among the first manakin displays to be described in any detail and have been the subject of extensive study since. Like the Swallow-tailed Manakin’s congenerics, males display cooperatively, although by far the greatest number of copulations is achieved by the ‘alpha’ male at each arena. In terms of the birds’ plumage, this species is the most radically ‘different’ of the five Chiroxiphia manakins. Males have predominantly blue, rather than mainly black plumage as well as a much more extensive red crown patch. The mainly green females share the ‘swallow’ tail, although the extensions are reduced in length.

Male 15 cm, female 14·5 cm; mean 25·6 g. Male distinctively patterned, both sexes with elongated central rectrices. Male has black head with red band from forehead to nape; body and much of tail bright turquoise-blue, wings and outer tail black, undertail coverts dusky; iris dark brown; bill pinkish to sooty; legs pinkish to sooty. Female is dull green, paler below, a few having orange-yellow forehead more or less concealed by green mottling. Juvenile resembles female; immature male passes through a series of intermediate plumages, acquires full adult plumage when ca 3 years old (1 Mallet-Rodrigues, F. and Dutra, R. (2012). Acquisition of definitive adult plumage in male Blue Manakins Chiroxiphia caudata. Cotinga. 34: 24–27. Close ).

• Helmeted x Swallow-tailed Manakin (hybrid) Antilophia galeata x Chiroxiphia caudata

SE Brazil (S Goiás and S Bahia S to W Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul), SE Paraguay and extreme NE Argentina (Misiones, NE Corrientes).

Humid forest and secondary woodland, also edges. Mostly below 1500 m, occasionally to 1900 m. In E Brazil (S Bahia and Espírito Santo), where overlaps in range with C. pareola, confined to montane forest above 500 m, whereas that species is restricted to lowlands.

Apparently sedentary.

Small fruits and insects. Items plucked or snatched usually in aerial sally, but sometimes while perched.

Male call a double “ptuwa ptuwa”; in male duet calls overlap, not well synchronized, giving impression of confused gabbling; during courtship dance loud guttural “kwa-a-a-a”, at end of dance repetition of loud sharp “eek”, similar to calls of C. linearis. Far-carrying “chorreeo cho-cho-cho” by both sexes in variety of contexts.

Egg-laying mainly in Aug–Feb. Male displays low down on slender horizontal stems, where joined by two (sometimes more) subordinate males, the three alternately making fluttering upward leaps; on arrival of a female, all three perch close together and take turns to jump and hover in front of her before landing at back of queue, shuffling forward in line as the individual nearest female jumps up, entire performance being terminated by sharp call by dominant male. Leks consist of mixtures of related and unrelated individuals (2 Francisco, M.R., Gibbs, H.L. and Galetti Jr., P.M. (2009). Patterns of individual relatedness at Blue Manakin (Chiroxiphia caudata) leks. Auk. 126(1): 47–53. Close ). Nest made of dry plant fibres, fungal rhizomorphs, sometimes including moss, with dry leaves attached to outside and hanging below, suspended from low fork of small tree or shrub. Clutch 2 eggs; no information on incubation and fledging periods.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Fairly common in most of range, and common in many areas. Might be subjected to habitat destruction in future, but ability to thrive in secondary woodland and edge habitats should ensure its survival. Present in several protected areas, e.g. Ybicuí National Park (Paraguay), Serra dos Órgãos and Itatiaia National Parks (Brazil), and Iguaçu and Iguazú National Parks (Brazil/Argentina).