THE COURTSHIP DISPLAYS AND SOCIAL SYSTEM OF THE WHITE-RUFFED MANAKIN IN COSTA RICA

Abstract We studied the relationship between group and individual display in the courtship and social system of the White-ruffed Manakin (Corapipo leucorrhoa altera) in the Atlantic slope foothills of Costa Rica. Between 20 April and 28 May 1989, we searched for display logs and conducted 358 h of observations focused on four display logs. We found logs owned by a single resident male in which activity was continuous, as well as logs and areas where displays were occasional. Six of the eight logs found in the study area were arranged in two clusters separated by about 300 m, although we also found a solitary log 200 m from the nearest active display site. The resident male was at his display site 40.7–93.7% of the time, mostly alone. Residents were visited by other males mainly before 08:00 and less frequently by females later in the day. Residents continually gave advertisement calls during the day and performed several visual displays, including an elaborate Flap-chee-wah in which the male would fly ste...