Long-tailed Manakin
Chiroxiphia linearis
Scientific Name
Pipridae (Manakins)
Family
Passeriformes
Order
C. l. linearis
Subspecies. From southern Mexico to northwestern Costa Rica
C. l. fastuosa
Subspecies. Southwestern Costa Rica and western Panama
Range and Habitat of Long-tailed Manakin
Geographic Range
The Long-tailed Manakin ranges from southern Mexico (Oaxaca, Chiapas) through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, to western Panama.
Migratory Patterns
This is a non-migratory resident species with no seasonal movements, though young males may disperse to establish territories.
Preferred Habitat
The Long-tailed Manakin inhabits dry forests, gallery forests along streams, forest edges, secondary growth, and semi-deciduous forests. It also adapts well to shade coffee plantations and gardens with appropriate vegetation structure.
Altitude Range
In Costa Rica, it is most common from sea level to 1,200 m, occasionally reaching 1,500 m in suitable habitat.
Costa Rica Habitat
In Costa Rica, the species inhabits the Pacific slope from Guanacaste to the Panama border, with some populations on the Caribbean slope in the northern lowlands. It occurs throughout Guanacaste, Puntarenas, western Alajuela, western San José, and northwestern Heredia provinces. Notable protected areas include Santa Rosa National Park, Guanacaste National Park, Rincón de la Vieja National Park, Palo Verde National Park, Carara National Park, Manuel Antonio National Park, and Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Conservation Status
Population Status
Costa Rica supports substantial populations throughout appropriate habitat. Population trends remain stable or increasing in some areas.
The species faces habitat loss from deforestation, though it shows good adaptability.
Conservation efforts
The Long-tailed Manakin receives protection in numerous national parks and reserves. It serves as a flagship species for dry forest conservation.
Primary Threats
The species faces habitat loss from deforestation, though it shows good adaptability.
Long-tailed Manakin Identification
How to Identify the Species
Rarity Level:
CommonBest Viewing Times:
Early Morning (Dawn - 8 AM)
Size
Males measure 11-13 cm in body length, with central tail feathers extending an additional 6-15 cm. Females measure 11-12 cm total length. Males weigh 18-20 g while females weigh 15-17 g.
Plumage
Adult males display a striking appearance with a brilliant sky-blue back and rump, black wings, belly, and sides, and a distinctive crimson-red crown patch. The two central tail feathers are greatly elongated and black. Adult females are entirely olive-green above and paler olive-yellow below, lacking any ornamental features.
Distinctive Features
Males possess extremely elongated central tail feathers that can double their apparent length.
Sexual Dimorphism
This species exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism. Males are brilliantly colored with blue, black, and red plumage plus elongated tail feathers, while females are entirely olive-green.
Diet and Feeding Behavior
Primary Diet
- The Long-tailed Manakin feeds primarily on small fruits. The diet is supplemented with small insects captured during flight, including flies, small beetles, and flying ants.
Foraging Techniques
- This manakin employs sally-hover feeding, plucking fruits while briefly hovering. It makes rapid flights between fruiting plants and performs aerial hawking for insects.
Feeding Times
- Peak feeding activity occurs in early morning from 6:00-9:00 and late afternoon from 15:00-17:30. Males often feed hastily between display sessions during the breeding season.
Behavior Patterns
Long-tailed Manakin
Social Structure
Males form cooperative display partnerships (usually 2-3 males) at traditional lek sites. These partnerships involve an alpha male and one or more beta males in strict dominance hierarchies. Females are solitary except when visiting leks.
Song and Vocalization
The primary vocalization is a distinctive “toledo” call that sounds like “to-LAY-do” giving the bird its local name. Males produce a mechanical wing-snapping sound during displays. Contact calls include soft “peep” notes between displaying males. Females rarely vocalize, occasionally giving soft “chip” notes.
Courtship and Mating Ritual
The species is famous for its elaborate cooperative courtship displays. Two or three males perform synchronized dual-male backward leapfrog dances along horizontal branches. Males cartwheel over each other while giving “toledo” calls in an intricate butterfly flight display with slow, deep wingbeats. The alpha male performs a solo display for females after partners depart. Only the alpha male mates with visiting females despite beta males’ participation.
Territoriality
Males defend small display territories at leks (approximately 10-20 m diameter). Females maintain feeding territories during nesting.
Birdwatching Tips
Best Locations for Spotting Long-tailed Manakin
Prime locations include:
- Carara National Park near the visitor center
- Manuel Antonio National Park along main trails
- Santa Rosa National Park
- Monteverde area lower Pacific slope
- Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge
- Villa Lapas area near Tárcoles
- Rincón de la Vieja National Park lower elevations
- Palo Verde National Park riparian forests
Best Time of the Year
While present year-round, the best viewing occurs from March to July during peak display season. Early morning from 6:00-10:00 offers the most display activity.
Common Behavior
Listen for distinctive “toledo” calls to locate display areas. Look for horizontal branches 2-4 meters high that serve as display perches. Watch for rapid flights between perches by males. Females are much harder to spot due to cryptic coloration.
Recommended Gear
Essential equipment includes 8×42 binoculars for forest observation, a camera with good autofocus for capturing display behavior, video capability to record elaborate dances
Breeding and Nesting Behavior
Breeding Season
In Costa Rica, peak activity spans April to June during the early wet season.
Nesting Sites
The female alone builds a small cup nest constructed of rootlets, fungal rhizomorphs, and plant fibers. Spider silk and cobwebs bind the materials together. The nest is typically placed 1-5 meters high in horizontal fork of small tree or shrub, often over water.
Clutch Size
1-2 eggs, typically 2
Incubation Period
17-20 days
Parental Care
The female alone builds the nest, incubates eggs, and raises young with no male assistance. Chicks fledge at 13-15 days. Post-fledging care continues for 3-4 weeks. Males provide no parental care whatsoever.
Did You Know?
Interesting Behaviors
Beta males may wait years as understudies before becoming alpha males, with some waiting up to 10 years. Males can live over 15 years, unusually long for such a small bird.
Cultural Significance
The “toledo” call has entered Costa Rican folklore and music. Indigenous peoples traditionally used the red crown feathers for decoration. The cooperative breeding system has become a textbook example in behavioral ecology. The species features on Costa Rican tourism promotional materials.
Surprising Traits
Males molt their long tail feathers simultaneously, becoming temporarily “short-tailed.” Beta males occasionally become alpha males at different leks rather than waiting.
How do I identify this bird?
Adult males are unmistakable with their sky-blue back, red crown, black body, and extremely long central tail feathers. Females are entirely olive-green and much harder to identify, resembling other female manakins but with a slightly longer, more graduated tail. Listen for the distinctive “toledo” call.
Where is the best place to see it in Costa Rica?
Carara National Park near the visitor center offers reliable, easily accessible display sites. Manuel Antonio National Park also has well-known leks. For the best experience, arrive early morning (before 7:00 AM) during April-June and listen for calling males.
Is it endangered?
No, the Long-tailed Manakin is listed as Least Concern with stable populations. It adapts relatively well to habitat modification and is common in appropriate habitat throughout Costa Rica’s Pacific slope.