It is found mainly in the Atlantic Forest of south-eastern Brazil, eastern Paraguay and far north-eastern Argentina.

Males have a bright blue body, black head wings and tail and a red crown.

At breeding time, males are involved in lekking behaviour when they sing and dance to impress females.

The main display arena is cleaned by the alpha and beta males by removing moss, leaves, or twigs from the perch, making it appear whiter.

[2] At a length of around 15 cm (5.9 in) and a weight of around 25.6 g (0.90 oz), this small sparrow-sized bird may be the largest species within the diminutive manakin family.