Tropical Kingbird

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Kingbird in Medellín?

Very likely. About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird sighting in Medellín on a given day, based on 3,851 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 244 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Tropical Kingbird in Medellín?

July and December. In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird in Medellín on a given day, against about 80% in January–June and August–November, the lowest months.

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 Medellín the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

6th of 60. Of the 60 cities where we can rate Tropical Kingbird sightings, Medellín ranks 6th at about 80%. The best odds are in Maracaibo (Venezuela, about 90%), Cali (Colombia, about 80%) and Salvador (Brazil, about 80%).

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 Medellín (3,851 verified sightings), 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 ~80% · Very likely

at Medellín

In 3 days >90%

3,851 Verified sightings at Medellín

92,094 In all 87 parks From 2019 to 2026

July 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 Medellín

Tyrannus tyrannus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Tyrannus savana

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~90% · Very likely

Myiozetetes cayanensis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Pyrocephalus rubinus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Elaenia flavogaster

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Todirostrum cinereum

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Myiodynastes maculatus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Contopus virens

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Empidonax virescens

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Sayornis nigricans

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Zimmerius chrysops

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 Medellín?

Very likely

About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird sighting in Medellín on a given day, based on 3,851 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 244 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Tropical Kingbird in Medellín?

July and December

In those months about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird in Medellín on a given day, against about 80% in January–June and August–November, the lowest months.

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 Medellín the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

6th of 60

Of the 60 cities where we can rate Tropical Kingbird sightings, Medellín ranks 6th at about 80%. The best odds are in Maracaibo (Venezuela, about 90%), Cali (Colombia, about 80%) and Salvador (Brazil, about 80%).

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 Medellín (3,851 verified sightings), 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 Medellín

Tropical Kingbird

About the Tropical Kingbird

Sounds

Recent sightings of Tropical Kingbird in Medellín

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Medellín

Eastern Kingbird

Fork-tailed Flycatcher

Great Kiskadee

Rusty-margined Flycatcher

Vermilion Flycatcher

Yellow-bellied Elaenia

Common Tody-Flycatcher

Streaked Flycatcher

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Acadian Flycatcher

Black Phoebe

Golden-faced Tyrannulet

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Kingbird in Medellín?

When is the best time to see a Tropical Kingbird in Medellín?

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

Is Medellín the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

Where does the Tropical Kingbird sighting chance come from?