Feathered Clowns
Dancing Birds in Costa Rica
back to film archiveTrailer (8:53 min):
Buy complete film (44 min) at CPMedia
List of species:
Goldbaumsteiger, Grüner Pfeilgiftfrosch, Dendrobates auratus, Green Poison Arrow Frog
Bunte Drymobiusnatter, Drymobius margaritiferus, Speckled Racer
Weißhalspipra, Manacus candei, White-collared Manakin
Klammeraffe, Spinnenaffe, Ateles geoffroyi, Central American Spider Monkey
Brillenkauz, Pulsatrix perspicillata, Spectacled Owl
Langschwanzpipra, Chiroxiphia linearis, Long-tailed Manakin
Aguti, Dasyprocta punctata, Central American Agouti
Blattschneiderameisen, Atta spec., Leaf-cutting Ant
Mantel-Brüllaffe, Aloutta palliata, Mantled Howler Monkey
Orangehalspipra, Manacus aurantiacus, Orange-collared Manakin
Gelbscheitel-Waldsänger, Dendroica pensylvanica, Chestnur-sided Warbler
Streifenbasilisk, Basilicus vittatus
Schwalbennymphe, Thalurania colombica, Crowned Woodnymph (Hummingbird)
Orangeschwarzer Pfeilgiftfrosch, Phyllobates vittatus, Orange and Black Poison-dart Frog
Sonnenralle, Eurypyga helias, Sunbittern
Hühnerfresser, Spilotes pullatus, Black and Yellow Rat Snake
Weißrüssel-Nasenbär, Nasua narica, White-nosed Coati
Kapuzineraffe, Weißschulterkapuziner, Cebus capuchinus, White-throated Capuchin
Schwarzleguan, Ctenosaura spec., Black Iguana
Hundskopfboa, Corallus enydris, Emerald Treeboa
Totenkopfaffe, Totenköpfchen, Saimiri oerstedii, Central American Squirrel Monkey
Blauscheitelpipra, Pipra coronata, Blue-crowned Manakin
Gelbhosenpipra, Pipra mentalis, Red-capped Manakin
About the film:
Small coloured birds hop and jump, chirping loudly in the tropical forests of Costa Rica. They are the Saltarines, Dancing Birds, the so-called Manakins.
These feathered clowns must train for many years to perfekt their mating dance, to draw the desired female into the pre-copulation dancing ritual. Young males are not welcome on the dance-floor.
But sooner or later they, too, must learn this difficult dance routine. Being a mere spectator means losing out. Their subsequent behaviour – never filmed before – is truly astonishing: they deceive the older males by playing transvestites for a short time, to procure an active role in the mating ritual.
The Spider Monkeys, the Spectacled Owl and the Squirrel Monkeys can only look on in amazement at the outright buffoonery and ingenuity of these birds.
Images for film:
