Tropical Kingbird

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Kingbird in Chirripó National Park?

Possible. About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird sighting in Chirripó National Park on a given day, based on 455 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 332 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Tropical Kingbird in Chirripó National Park?

March. In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird in Chirripó National Park on a given day, against about 20% in August and November–December, the lowest months. That is one of Chirripó National Park's driest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 690 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 Chirripó National Park the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

54th of 87. Of the 87 parks where we can rate Tropical Kingbird sightings, Chirripó National Park ranks 54th at about 30%. 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: Which relatives of the Tropical Kingbird live in Chirripó National Park?

Same family: Tyrannidae. The closest relatives of the Tropical Kingbird that you can see in Chirripó National Park (family Tyrannidae, Tyrant Flycatchers) are Great Kiskadee (about 40%), Guatemalan Paltry Tyrannulet (about 40%) and Social Flycatcher (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

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 Chirripó National Park (455 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 ~30% · Possible

at Chirripó National Park

In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%

455 Verified sightings at Chirripó National Park From 2019 to 2026

92,094 In all 87 parks

March 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 Chirripó National Park

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Zimmerius vilissimus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Myiozetetes similis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Megarynchus pitangua

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Todirostrum cinereum

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Myiozetetes granadensis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Legatus leucophaius

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Myiarchus tuberculifer

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Elaenia flavogaster

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Empidonax flaviventris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Myiodynastes hemichrysus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Myiodynastes maculatus

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 Chirripó National Park?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird sighting in Chirripó National Park on a given day, based on 455 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 332 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Tropical Kingbird in Chirripó National Park?

March

In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird in Chirripó National Park on a given day, against about 20% in August and November–December, the lowest months. That is one of Chirripó National Park's driest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 690 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 Chirripó National Park the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

54th of 87

Of the 87 parks where we can rate Tropical Kingbird sightings, Chirripó National Park ranks 54th at about 30%. 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.

Which relatives of the Tropical Kingbird live in Chirripó National Park?

Same family: Tyrannidae

The closest relatives of the Tropical Kingbird that you can see in Chirripó National Park (family Tyrannidae, Tyrant Flycatchers) are Great Kiskadee (about 40%), Guatemalan Paltry Tyrannulet (about 40%) and Social Flycatcher (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

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 Chirripó National Park (455 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 Chirripó National Park

Tropical Kingbird

About the Tropical Kingbird

Sounds

Recent sightings of Tropical Kingbird in Chirripó National Park

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Chirripó National Park

Great Kiskadee

Guatemalan Paltry Tyrannulet

Social Flycatcher

Boat-billed Flycatcher

Common Tody-Flycatcher

Gray-capped Flycatcher

Piratic Flycatcher

Dusky-capped Flycatcher

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

Golden-bellied Flycatcher

Streaked Flycatcher

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Kingbird in Chirripó National Park?

When is the best time to see a Tropical Kingbird in Chirripó National Park?

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

Is Chirripó National Park the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

Which relatives of the Tropical Kingbird live in Chirripó National Park?

Where does the Tropical Kingbird sighting chance come from?