Chiroxiphia
Encyclopedia
Chiroxiphia is one of several genera
of manakin
s, small song birds of South
and Central America
.
The male plumage
is a striking combination of black and bright blue. The crown is red, except in the yellow-crowned C. pareola regina. Females are comparably dull olive-greenish overall. Juveniles of both sexes resemble the adult female. As the male plumage takes several years to complete, individuals showing a level of intermediacy between full adult male and female-like juveniles are commonly seen (in particular female-plumaged birds with red, or yellow in C. pareola regina, crowns).
Manakins of the genus Chiroxiphia have an unusual mating system
, based on female mate choice
. In order to mate successfully, males have to form partnerships with another male. The two males co-operate in an elaborate courtship dance, and sing a joint song
(called a duet) at one of many traditionally fixed mating sites; the area where mating takes place can be described as an exploded lek. In some species such as the Blue Manakin
, these partnerships typically consist of three males. Females attend a number of these courtship sites, observing the male displays and eventually allow a male at one of the sites to mate.
The males can typically be designated alpha and beta, since there is a clear dominance
relationship between them. There is only ever one alpha male, but, depending on species, there may be one or two beta males. Beta males are sometimes sub-adults - easily recognized, as their plumage retain female-like characters. Only the alpha male is ever seen to mate with the female.
As in other manakins, males play no part in the care of the young.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of manakin
Manakin
The manakins are a family, Pipridae, of unique small suboscine passerine birds. The family contains some 60 species. They are distributed through the American tropics...
s, small song birds of South
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
.
The male plumage
Plumage
Plumage refers both to the layer of feathers that cover a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage vary between species and subspecies and can also vary between different age classes, sexes, and season. Within species there can also be a...
is a striking combination of black and bright blue. The crown is red, except in the yellow-crowned C. pareola regina. Females are comparably dull olive-greenish overall. Juveniles of both sexes resemble the adult female. As the male plumage takes several years to complete, individuals showing a level of intermediacy between full adult male and female-like juveniles are commonly seen (in particular female-plumaged birds with red, or yellow in C. pareola regina, crowns).
Manakins of the genus Chiroxiphia have an unusual mating system
Mating system
A mating system is a way in which a group is structured in relation to sexual behaviour. The precise meaning depends upon the context. With respect to higher animals, it specifies which males mate with which females, under which circumstances; recognised animal mating systems include monogamy,...
, based on female mate choice
Mate choice
Mate choice, or intersexual selection, is an evolutionary process in which selection of a mate depends on attractiveness of its traits. It is one of two components of sexual selection...
. In order to mate successfully, males have to form partnerships with another male. The two males co-operate in an elaborate courtship dance, and sing a joint song
Bird song
Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs are distinguished by function from calls.-Definition:The distinction between songs and calls is based upon...
(called a duet) at one of many traditionally fixed mating sites; the area where mating takes place can be described as an exploded lek. In some species such as the Blue Manakin
Blue Manakin
The Blue Manakin or Swallow-tailed Manakin is a small species of bird in the Pipridae family. It is found in north-eastern Argentina, southern and south-eastern Brazil, and Paraguay....
, these partnerships typically consist of three males. Females attend a number of these courtship sites, observing the male displays and eventually allow a male at one of the sites to mate.
The males can typically be designated alpha and beta, since there is a clear dominance
Dominance hierarchy
A dominance hierarchy is the organization of individuals in a group that occurs when competition for resources leads to aggression...
relationship between them. There is only ever one alpha male, but, depending on species, there may be one or two beta males. Beta males are sometimes sub-adults - easily recognized, as their plumage retain female-like characters. Only the alpha male is ever seen to mate with the female.
As in other manakins, males play no part in the care of the young.
Species
- Lance-tailed ManakinLance-tailed ManakinThe Lance-tailed Manakin, Chiroxiphia lanceolata, is a small passerine bird which breeds in tropical Central and South America from Costa Rica to northern Venezuela....
, Chiroxiphia lanceolata - Long-tailed ManakinLong-tailed ManakinThe Long-tailed Manakin is a species of bird in the Pipridae family. It is found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua....
, Chiroxiphia linearis - Blue-backed ManakinBlue-backed ManakinThe Blue-backed Manakin, Chiroxiphia pareola, is a small passerine bird which breeds in tropical South America. It is found in southern Colombia, eastern Venezuela, the Guyanas, northeast Brazil, the Amazon Basin in Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru; and in Tobago. A disjunct population...
, Chiroxiphia pareola - Yungas ManakinYungas ManakinThe Yungas Manakin is a species of bird in the Pipridae family. It closely resembles the Blue-backed Manakin, but unlike that species it has dull dark red legs and is found in humid highland forests in the Yungas of southeastern Peru and Bolivia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . ...
, Chiroxiphia boliviana - Blue ManakinBlue ManakinThe Blue Manakin or Swallow-tailed Manakin is a small species of bird in the Pipridae family. It is found in north-eastern Argentina, southern and south-eastern Brazil, and Paraguay....
, Chiroxiphia caudata