White-crowned manakin

The white-crowned manakin (Pseudopipra pipra) is a small passerine bird in the manakin family Pipridae. This common and extremely widespread manakin is one of the most easily identified, even in female plumage. It is a resident breeder in the tropical New World from Costa Rica to northeastern Peru and eastern Brazil. It was traditionally placed in the genus Pipra, but is now placed in its own monotypic genus Pseudopipra. It is a small, compact bird about 10 cm (3.9 in) long. Males have black plumage with a white crown which can be erected as a crest, the only member of the Pipridae to possess both an all-black body and a gleaming white crown. Females and juveniles are olive-green, with a grey head and throat, and greyish-green or olive underparts. At breeding time, males are involved in a lekking behaviour. This is a fairly common species with a wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

The white-crowned manakin is 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in) in length. The male of the nominate subspecies has an average weight of 11.0 g (0.39 oz); the female is slightly heavier and on average weighs 12.8 g (0.45 oz). It is a compact short-tailed bird with a stout hooked bill, dark legs, red eyes and striking male plumage.

The adult male is mostly black with a white crown which can be erected as a low crest. His call is a buzzy jeeeee, louder and preceded by a popping p-p-p chee when displaying.

The female and young males are olive-green with a grey head and throat, and grey-green or olive underparts. The female of the eastern Andean race coracina is brighter and greener above and below than nominate pipra, but the combination of a grey head and red eyes makes specific identification relatively easy for a female white-crowned manakin of any race.