manakin

[ man-uh-kin ]

noun

1. any of several small, songless passerine birds of the family Pipridae, of the warmer parts of the Americas, usually having brilliantly colored plumage.

manakin

/ ˈmænəkɪn /

noun

1. any small South American passerine bird of the family Pipridae, having a colourful plumage, short bill, and elaborate courtship behaviour
2. a variant of manikin

Word History and Origins

Origin of manakin¹

Variant of manikin

Example Sentences

These include the collared aracari, a small toucan-like bird, with a yellow chest and enormous beak, as well as several members of the manakin family — small brightly colored forest birds known for elaborate courtship dances.

From Seattle Times

Back in the sampling tent, the scientists tweezed clumps of the manakin's breast feathers to be sent for analysis, before the bird is returned unharmed to the wild.

From Reuters

It was a male striolated manakin, with a little green puff of a body and a proud red crest.

From New York Times

As Balakrishnan and his colleagues reported at the meeting, a sweet tooth—or beak—may have set the stage for sexual selection in manakins.

From Science Magazine

In the case of both the manakin and the finch, although their displays initially appear simple and uninteresting to humans, females of the species pay close attention to male displays.

From Scientific American