The Saffron-crested tyrant-Manakin, aka as Saffron-crested neopelma, scientifically known as (Neopelma chrysocephalum), is a species of bird in the family Pipridae, the manakins. A visually striking bird species endemic to the lowland tropical rainforests of South America, with primary distribution areas in countries such as Brazil, Peru, and Bolivia.
The Saffron-crested Tyrant-Manakin belongs to the
Pipridae
The manakins are a family, Pipridae, of small suboscine passerine birds. The group contains 55 species distributed through the American tropics. The name is from Middle Dutch "little man" (also the source of the different bird name '' mannikin' ...
family, which includes various manakin species, all known for their unique characteristics and behaviors. It was named by
August von Pelzeln
August von Pelzeln (10 May 1825, Prague – 2 September 1891 in Oberdöbling) was an Austrian ornithologist. He was a grandson to novelist Karoline Pichler (1769-1843).crest that stands on its head. This crest is similar to the bird's plumage. This small bird, measuring around 10 to 11 centimeters (4 to 4.3 inches) in length, has distinctive black wings and tail with yellow markings. Its eyes are a dark shade. The beak of the Saffron-crested Manakin is short and stout. It has a very nasal call with a variety of repeated "wraaang", "skeeehh" and 'eerhhh" sounds.
Distribution and habitat
It is found in the
Guianas
The Guianas, also spelled Guyanas or Guayanas, are a geographical region in north-eastern South America. Strictly, the term refers to the three Guianas: Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, formerly British Guiana, British, Surinam (Dutch colo ...
, southern
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
and the northwestern
Amazon Basin
The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributary, tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries ...
. Its natural
habitat
In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...
s are
tropical forests
Tropical forests are forested ecoregions with tropical climates – that is, land areas approximately bounded by the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, but possibly affected by other factors such as prevailing winds.
Some tropical forest types ...
and
shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominance (ecology), dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbaceous plant, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally o ...
.
The range in northern
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
is the coastal Guianan region extending into coastal northeastern Brazil, the north of
Amapá
Amapá (; ) is one of the 26 federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil. It is in the North Region, Brazil, North Region of Brazil. It is Federative units of Brazil#List, the second-least populous state and the eighteenth-largest state by area ...
state. The range extends westward from Guyana into southeast Venezuela, eastern Colombia and then extends southeasterly down the
Rio Negro (Amazon)
The Rio Negro ( "''Black River''"), or Guainía as it is known in its upper part, is the largest left tributary of the Amazon River (accounting for about 14% of the water in the Amazon basin), the largest blackwater river in the world, and one ...
river
wildlife corridor
A wildlife corridor, also known as a habitat corridor, or green corridor, is a designated area habitat (ecology), that connects wildlife populations that have been separated by human activities or structures, such as development, roads, or land ...
Madeira River
The Madeira River ( ) is a major waterway in South America. It is estimated to be in length, while the Madeira-Mamoré is estimated near or in length depending on the measuring party and their methods. The Madeira is the biggest tributary of ...
, it also goes upstream on the Amazon River 250 km to the
Purus River
The Purus River (Portuguese: ''Rio Purus''; Spanish: ''Río Purús'') is a tributary of the Amazon River in South America. Its drainage basin is , and the mean annual discharge is . The river shares its name with the Alto Purús National Park a ...
.
In the
Amazon Basin
The Amazon basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributary, tributaries. The Amazon drainage basin covers an area of about , or about 35.5 percent of the South American continent. It is located in the countries ...
, the
North Region, Brazil
The North Region of Brazil ( ) is the largest region of Brazil, accounting for 45.27% of the national territory. It has the second-lowest population of any region in the country, and accounts for a minor percentage of the national GDP. The regio ...
, the species is in the states of Amapá, Amazonas, and very southern
Roraima
Roraima ( ) is one of the 26 states of Brazil. Located in the country's North Region, it is the northernmost and most geographically and logistically isolated state in Brazil. It is bordered by the state of Pará to the southeast, Amazonas t ...
. Populations are in northern Peru along river headwaters, (the region of the
Ucayali River
The Ucayali River (, ) is the main headstream of the Amazon River. It rises about north of Lake Titicaca, in the Arequipa region of Peru and becomes the Amazon at the confluence of the Marañón river, Marañón close to Nauta city. The city of ...
).
These birds are generally found in the tropical rainforests, particularly in countries such as
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
,
Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
, and
Bolivia
Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
. The preferred habitat of these birds are located in the tropical rainforests.
Behavior
These birds often exhibit interesting social behaviors within their flocks or mating groups. They communicate using various calls and displays to maintain social bonds or establish territories.
Diet
Saffron-crested tyrant-Manakins mainly feed on insects, small fruits, and berries. They search for their meals within the forest and are known for their quick ability to catch insects.