Orange-bellied Manakin

Locally fairly common in foothill forest but small, quiet and unobtrusive; readily found along the lower forested Escalera roadside once you know the high twittering call, otherwise easily passed over.

Small manakin. Male velvety black with a clean snow-white forecrown patch, a deep azure-blue rump/uppertail-covert patch, and a striking deep orange-yellow belly to undertail coverts (solid black breast above it). Female bright grass-green above, very pale yellow throat, brighter yellow central belly/vent.

Interior and edge of humid to wet terra firme foothill and lower-montane forest, foothills and lower tepui slopes; recorded to ~1,800 m, occasionally shrubby borders and upland scrub.

Small, unobtrusive bird of lower slopes; forages quietly for small fruit and arthropods at low to mid levels. Vocalizations are soft and easily overlooked despite the male's bright plumage.

Most frequent call a high twittering that rises and falls slightly (very like a call of Tiny Tyrant-Manakin), plus a soft single peeping note; both easily overlooked. Listen on Xeno-canto / Macaulay Library — search 'Lepidothrix suavissima' or 'Orange-bellied Manakin'.

Train your ear to the high, easily-missed twitter — that's how you pin it, then maneuver clients for the male's white forecrown + orange belly combo. Stress the male-only ID point (solid black breast) to separate it from lowland White-fronted.