Tropical Kingbird

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Kingbird in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve?

Likely. About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird sighting in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve on a given day, based on 374 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 241 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Tropical Kingbird in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve?

December. In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve on a given day, against about 10% in May, the lowest month. That is one of Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve's driest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 560 mm in October.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Tropical Kingbird?

Between 2 and 5 pm. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tropical Kingbird sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

47th of 87. Of the 87 parks where we can rate Tropical Kingbird sightings, Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve ranks 47th at about 40%. The best odds are in Masaya Volcano National Park (Nicaragua, about 80%), Parque Natural Metropolitano (Panama, about 80%) and Main Ridge Forest Reserve (Trinidad and Tobago, about 70%). All parks ranked.

Q: Where does the Tropical Kingbird sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Tropical Kingbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve (374 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Tyrannus melancholicus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyTyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
GenusTyrannus (Kingbirds)
SpeciesTyrannus melancholicus (Tropical Kingbird)

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

at Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve

In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%

374 Verified sightings at Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve From 2019 to 2026

92,094 In all 87 parks

December Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

Challenge South American City Birds South AmericaEasy

About the Tropical Kingbird

The tropical kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) is a large tyrant flycatcher. This bird breeds from southern Arizona and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the United States through Central America, South America as far as south as central Argentina and eastern Peru, and on Trinidad and Tobago. Birds from the northernmost and southern breeding areas migrate to warmer parts of the range after breeding.

The tropical kingbird was formally described in 1819 by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot under the binomial name Tyrannus melancholicus. Vieillot based his description on the Suirirí-Guazú that had been described by the Spanish naturalist Félix de Azara in 1805 in his book Apuntamientos para la historia natural de los páxaros del Paragüay y Rio de la Plata. The specific epithet is Latin meaning "melancholic" (that is "bad-tempered").

Three subspecies are recognised: An adult tropical kingbird is 22... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:30

Brazil · 2026

Song0:39

Costa Rica · 2026

Dawn song0:25

Brazil · 2024

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 1 zoo or centre

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	~80%
2	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~80%
3	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~70%
4	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~70%
5	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~70%
6	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~70%
7	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~70%
8	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~60%
9	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~60%
10	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~60%
11	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~60%
12	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~60%
13	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~60%
14	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~60%
15	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~60%
16	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~60%
17	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
18	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~50%
19	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
20	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~50%
21	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~50%
22	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~50%
23	El Palmar National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~50%
24	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
25	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~50%
26	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
27	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~50%
28	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
29	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~50%
30	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~50%
31	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~40%
32	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~40%
33	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
34	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~40%
35	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~40%
36	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~40%
37	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
38	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
39	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
40	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~40%
41	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~40%
42	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
43	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~40%
44	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
45	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
46	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~40%
47	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
48	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~40%
49	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
50	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~40%
51	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~40%
52	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
53	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~30%
54	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
55	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
56	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~30%
57	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~30%
58	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~30%
59	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%
60	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~30%
61	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~30%
62	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
63	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
64	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
65	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
66	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
67	Podocarpus National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~20%
68	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
69	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~20%
70	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
71	Celaque National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
72	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
73	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
74	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
75	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
76	Cumbres de Monterrey National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
77	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
78	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	~10%
79	Irazú Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
80	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
81	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
82	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
83	Brownsberg Nature Park	🇸🇷 Suriname	<5%
84	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
85	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
86	Olympic National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
87	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Maracaibo	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~90%
2	Cali	🇨🇴 Colombia	~80%
3	Salvador	🇧🇷 Brazil	~80%
4	Managua	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	~80%
5	Caracas	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~80%
6	Medellín	🇨🇴 Colombia	~80%
7	San Pedro Sula	🇭🇳 Honduras	~80%
8	Guayaquil	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~80%
9	Niterói	🇧🇷 Brazil	~80%
10	San José	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~70%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	San Diego Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity

Closest Relatives at Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve

Tyrannus forficatus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Tyrannus verticalis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Myiozetetes similis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Megarynchus pitangua

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Myiarchus tuberculifer

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Myiarchus crinitus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Myiodynastes maculatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Attila spadiceus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Myiarchus tyrannulus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Tolmomyias sulphurescens

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Empidonax flaviventris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Kingbird in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve?

Likely

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird sighting in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve on a given day, based on 374 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 13th most-seen of the 241 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Tropical Kingbird in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve?

December

In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve on a given day, against about 10% in May, the lowest month. That is one of Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve's driest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 560 mm in October.

What time of day is best to see a Tropical Kingbird?

Between 2 and 5 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tropical Kingbird sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

47th of 87

Of the 87 parks where we can rate Tropical Kingbird sightings, Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve ranks 47th at about 40%. The best odds are in Masaya Volcano National Park (Nicaragua, about 80%), Parque Natural Metropolitano (Panama, about 80%) and Main Ridge Forest Reserve (Trinidad and Tobago, about 70%). All parks ranked.

Where does the Tropical Kingbird sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Tropical Kingbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve (374 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve

Tropical Kingbird

About the Tropical Kingbird

Sounds

Recent sightings of Tropical Kingbird in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Western Kingbird

Great Kiskadee

Social Flycatcher

Boat-billed Flycatcher

Dusky-capped Flycatcher

Great Crested Flycatcher

Streaked Flycatcher

Bright-rumped Attila

Brown-crested Flycatcher

Yellow-olive Flycatcher

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Kingbird in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve?

When is the best time to see a Tropical Kingbird in Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve?

What time of day is best to see a Tropical Kingbird?

Is Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

Where does the Tropical Kingbird sighting chance come from?