Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Lance-tailed Manakin

Chiroxiphia lanceolata

The Lance-tailed Manakin, Chiroxiphia lanceolata, is a diminutive and vibrant passerine, typically measuring around 13.5 centimeters in length and weighing 17.5 grams. Both males and females boast strikingly orange legs and possess two central tail feathers that extend into a distinctive spike.

Identification Tips

Adult males are predominantly black with a vivid red cap and a sky-blue back, making them quite unmistakable in their forest habitat. Females and juveniles, on the other hand, are clothed in an olive-green plumage with slightly paler underparts. While most females are a uniform green, a select few may exhibit tawny or red caps. Young males initially resemble females but gradually develop the red cap and blue back as they mature, reaching full adult plumage at about 26 months.

Habitat

The Lance-tailed Manakin favors the dry and moist deciduous forests of its range and is notably absent from rainforests.

Distribution

This species is found from the tropical regions of Central America, starting in Costa Rica, and extending down into northern Venezuela.

Behaviour

During the breeding season, males engage in a remarkable cooperative display. Pairs of males perch side by side on a bare stick and perform an alternating jumping dance, sometimes incorporating short flights. This display is not competitive but rather a joint effort to attract females. Groups may perform together, with each pair occupying a separate stick.

Song & Calls

The Lance-tailed Manakin communicates with a variety of calls including a "Toe-LEE-do," a "curry-ho," and a frog-like buzzing croak, the latter typically emitted by males during their display rituals.

Breeding

The female is solely responsible for nest building, creating a cup-shaped structure in a tree. She lays two brown-mottled cream eggs and incubates them for about 20 days without assistance from the male.

Similar Species

The Lance-tailed Manakin can be confused with the Blue-backed Manakin, Chiroxiphia pareola, which resides further south and east. However, the Blue-backed Manakin lacks the spiky tail and the male has a darker blue back.

Diet and Feeding

These birds primarily consume fruit, supplementing their diet with insects.

Conservation status

With a broad range and fairly common presence, the Lance-tailed Manakin is presumed to have a large total population. The population trend appears stable, and it has been classified as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Lance-tailed Manakins on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Jaider Carrillo
Jaider Carrillo
04 Jul 2024 - 3:09pm
Colombia

More Manakins

A photo of a Araripe Manakin (Antilophia bokermanni) , male

Araripe Manakin

Antilophia bokermanni
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Alice J
Awesome Birding Community
I absolutely love the community aspect of this app. The app is so user friendly and has fun interactive challenges to get you out birding. I’ve tried others but since I’ve started using Birda I’ve not gone back!
Nick S
Work together with community
Been loving using this app to log my bird sightings and work together with community members to identify different birds. I've already learned a lot since I started about a month ago!
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Birdafan
Ideal Birdwatch Companion
Simply adds to the enjoyment of my birdwatching and helps me record what I’ve seen.
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
Madstherangers
A mordern game changer
Birda is an awesome app, its updated the world of birding to the modern day with a fun and easy to use app. It’s engaging and allows positive interaction with fellow bird lovers!
Carl B
Helped me to identify more birds
Love this app and has helped me to identify more birds. The challenges and badges are great for keeping the motivation going to get out and keep birding.
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
Sacha0508
Simply fantastic
I love this app, it puts so much fun into recording the birds I’ve seen and heard while I’m out and about. The interface is user-friendly and suitable for all ages. It’s great to collect badges and to review my “lists”.
Abi.M
Awesome App
I really enjoy using this app! It is such a friendly community of bird-lovers who are happy to help if I need ID advice. It’s been great motivation to get outdoors and go birding more! 10/10 😍😍
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.