About Pipra erythrocephala (Linnaeus, 1758)
Like other manakins, the golden-headed manakin is a compact, brightly coloured forest bird, typically 9.4 cm (3.7 in) long and weighing 12.5 g (0.44 oz). The adult male is black, with the exception of a golden cap, white and red thighs, pink legs, and a yellowish bill. Females and young males are olive-green, and resemble female white-bearded manakins, but are smaller, shorter-tailed, and have pinkish rather than bright orange legs. In addition to the buzzing display song mentioned below, the golden-headed manakin produces a number of other calls, including the buzzing sequence pir pir prrrrrt. This manakin species is found from Panama, Colombia, and Trinidad south and east to the Guianas, Brazil, and northern Peru, and does not occur south of the Amazon or Ucayali Rivers. It is a common bird that lives in forests, second growth, and plantations. Its upper altitude limit is usually around 1,100 m (3,600 ft) above sea level, but it can occasionally be found as high as approximately 1,350 m (4,430 ft) ASL. Like other manakins, the golden-headed manakin feeds on fruit, plus some insects and spiders.
