Distinctive whistle song of the helmeted manakin (Chiroxiphia galeata)

The helmeted manakin (Chiroxiphia galeata) is a small passerine bird in the manakin family Pipridae, notable for inhabiting the seasonally dry Cerrado savanna of Central Brazil, unlike most manakins which are typically found in tropical rainforests.

This species is sexually dimorphic in plumage: males are glossy black with a striking red feathered crest across the mantle, nape, and crown, while females and immature males have a uniform dull-green plumage. Both sexes have a feathered crest on the head. Subadult males display a mix of green, black, and red colors beginning to appear as they mature.

The helmeted manakin's song is a loud whistle with eight notes, audible up to 100 meters away, with males singing year-round and intensifying from July to November, coinciding with the breeding season. During breeding, males form leks in the forest canopy to perform courtship displays for females. The display is somewhat subdued compared to other manakin species and involves chase-flights among males before returning to the lek.

Nests are bowl-shaped and placed in shrubs about 3 meters off the ground, constructed by females alone who also provide all parental care. Clutches typically contain two yellowish-white eggs with spots.

The helmeted manakin is endemic to the Cerrado savanna of Brazil and some adjacent areas in Paraguay and Bolivia, often found in gallery forests near water bodies. Despite being in decline, it is considered of least concern by conservation standards due to its relatively wide distribution.

Taxonomically, it was originally described in 1823 and has been classified within the genus Chiroxiphia alongside the critically endangered Araripe manakin, with which it may hybridize.

Helmeted manakin is a distinctive, savanna-dwelling manakin species with striking sexual plumage differences, a notable whistle song, and an unusual habitat for its family typically associated with rainforests.