The spectacular Araripe Manakin was only discovered in 1996.

Local legend tells of a red-headed bird living by forest springs and streams at the foot of the Araripe Plateau in northeastern Brazil. This bird, known as the galo de nascente (cock of the springs), must not be hunted, as it is o dono do agua — owner of the waters. If this bird is hurt in any way, the story goes, the springs essential to life in the surrounding dry lands will stop flowing.

The Araripe Manakin is threatened by habitat loss due to agriculture and human settlement. Diversion, channeling, and piping of the springs and streams are also reducing the area of available gallery forest habitat.



This bird is ranked both as a Critically Endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and as an Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE) “trigger” species — a designation only given to highly localized species that will likely go extinct if they lose their last remaining one or few sites.

In 2014, ABC helped Aquasis purchase 140 acres of critical habitat in a prime breeding area for the Araripe Manakin. Four years later, the partners acquired an additional 170 acres, more than doubling the size of the existing reserve and connecting it to the much larger Araripe National Forest, protecting new breeding territories for this and other rare species, including the Yellow-faced Siskin.

https://abcbirds.org/bird/araripe-manakin/