What's Special about Manakins in Bocas del Toro, Panama?

Guest post by Clyde S. Stephens

Clyde Stephens watches manakins from his home on Isla Solarte, and he has been doing it for decades. We have this same lek right here at Tranquilo Bay, on the eastern end of Isla Bastimentos. Guests don't need a boat trip to Solarte to see it.

Here is what changed most recently. For years, the male in that display was called a Golden-collared Manakin. New genetic research says otherwise: he is a hybrid, carrying a yellow collar passed down from a cousin species after rising seas turned mainland hilltops into the islands we live on today. Clyde worked directly with Dr. Michael Braun and the research team behind these findings, and he wrote up what they found so the rest of us could follow it. What follows is his report, in his own words. Read it before your next walk to our lek. You may watch the display differently.

Just to look at this bird is awesome, but to watch the male perform at his lek is one of the most amazing mating rituals in the world. I am writing from Hospital Point on Isla Solarte in the Province of Bocas del Toro in western Caribbean Panama and have been showing my friends this spectacle of nature for decades. These birds are on all of the forested islands in this province and are on the mainland between the Changuinola River and Chiriqui Grande.

In years past, to get the correct name of this manakin, we referred to the various reference books that called it Golden-collared Manakin, Manacus vitellinus. However, Robert Ridgely (1989) and George Angehr (2010) were cautious in their books and mentioned the possibility of variations, a sub-species and possibly hybrids in the Bocas del Toro region. George Angehr showed a White-collared Manakin with a yellow breast and called it the "Almirante Manakin." Nevertheless, most of us amateur bird watchers were content to call these birds the Golden-collared Manakin. So let the fun begin and watch the ritual at Tranquilo Bay on the eastern end of Isla Bastimentos.

2025 summaries about genetics and drastic name changes of Bocas del Toro manakins

Thanks to a large group of dedicated scientists, some of the mysteries of taxonomy, genetics, hybridization and distribution of Bocas del Toro manakins have been revealed in a series of recent publications. Doctor Michael Braun provided me with firsthand knowledge and pertinent references.

One of the references summarizes a recent study by Kevin F P Bennett, et al. "In western Panama, lekking golden-collared and white-collared manakins (Manacus vitellinus and M. candei, respectively) interbreed in a narrow hybrid zone across which males' brilliant yellow collar plumage, principally controlled by the carotenoid metabolism gene BCO2, has introgressed from vitellinus into candei under sexual selection.

The White-collared Manakin, Manacus candei, comes from the Costa Rica side, crosses the Sixaola River to Panama and is found up to the Changuinola River.

The White-collared Manakin continues as a hybrid with a golden yellow collar from the Changuinola River to Chiriqui Grande on the mainland, plus it is on all of the islands of Bocas del Toro. Thus, we have been mistakenly calling this bird a Golden-collared Manakin all of these many long years. Thanks to the specialized team that has studied these genetic complexities. We must change our old ways and now call it a White-collared Manakin hybrid—with a golden yellow collar.

Because of recent publications, the staff at Cornell University, who manages the Merlin Bird ID application, conformed to the new name and has just recently been calling the manakins on Isla Solarte, and probably on other islands, the White-collared Manakin.

The following figure clearly shows the distribution of the three manakins discussed. Carefully look at the color patterns of each of the three birds. Note that Sampling Site Number 2 is near the Sixaola River and the Guabito, Panama, bridge crossing to Costa Rica. Sampling Site Number 9.5 is Chiriqui Grande where the hybrids end and the Golden-collared Manakins begin.

The White-collared Manakin continues as a hybrid with a golden yellow collar from the Changuinola River to Chiriqui Grande on the mainland, plus it is on all of the islands of Bocas del Toro. Thus, we have been mistakenly calling this bird a Golden-collared Manakin all of these many long years. Thanks to the specialized team that has studied these genetic complexities. We must change our old ways and now call it a White-collared Manakin hybrid—with a golden yellow collar.

Special notes about the manakin on Isla Escudo de Veraguas

Dr. Michael Braun generously provided his notes and opinions about the manakin that has been isolated on this remote island for a long time. Taxonomy has been puzzling at times.

In July of 2025, Dr. Braun made the following comments to me: "We have genetic data on Escudo manakins that were collected by Tom Parsons and Storrs Olson in the 1990s. They are similar to the hybrids on all of the islands, with White-collared Manakin genomes and Golden-collared Manakin plumage.

Escudo Manakins are island giants—30% larger than other island or mainland manakins. They also have a distinctive mitochondrial DNA haplotype derived from the White-collared Manakin.

Because the manakins on Escudo today are essentially White-collared Manakins with Golden-collared plumage, we do speculate that the range of pure White-collared Manakins may have extended at least that far east at some point in the past, before hybridization began."

Comments by Clyde: The foregoing evidence suggest that a major name change for Escudo manakins might be forthcoming. The change would be from the Golden-collared Manakin to the White-collared Manakin with a golden yellow collar, like the hybrids in all other Bocas islands. And remember that the Escudo hybrid is one third larger than all the rest in Bocas del Toro.