The blue-crowned manakin (Lepidothrix coronata), in decline because of deforestation, could bounce back if there were more shade trees on Costa Rican farms.

In an ongoing radio-tracking project—one of the largest of its kind—scientists followed up to 500 birds, including a hundred manakins of two different species, to learn how they responded to agricultural practices and deforestation.

They have found that these small, tropical forest dwellers may help increase the number of trees on and around agricultural land, including coffee farms.