Cassin's Kingbird

Cassin's Kingbird

Tyrannus vociferans

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Mexico City

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

5,453 Verified sightings at Mexico City
1,291 In all 15 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Cassin's Kingbird

Cassin's kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans) is a large tyrant flycatcher native to western North America. The name of this bird commemorates the American ornithologist John Cassin. Cassin's kingbird was formally described in 1826 by English naturalist William Swainson under the current binomial name Tyrannus vociferans. The type locality is Temascaltepec, Mexico. The specific epithet vociferans is Latin for "shouting".

Two subspecies are recognised: They have a pale throat and deep yellow lower breast. Juveniles are duller and have pale edges on their wings. Measurements: Length: 8.3–9.1 in (21–23 cm) Weight: 1.6 oz (45 g) Wingspan: 41 cm Cassin's kingbird and the western kingbird are similar in appearance. Cassin's is a little larger than the western and the upper parts are a darker gray than the western. The most distinctive difference between these birds is that the Cassin's has a thin white edge... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Vesper calling1:02

United States · 2023

© Richard E. Webster · XC1034116 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:22

United States · 2025

© David Tattersley · XC999645 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Song1:20

Mexico · 2021

© Manuel Grosselet · XC620778 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
2 Cabo Pulmo National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
3 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
5 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
6 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
7 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
9 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
10 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
11 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
12 Cañón del Sumidero National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%
13 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
14 Point Pelee National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
15 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 León 🇲🇽 México
~80%
2 Puebla 🇲🇽 México
~50%
3 Mexico City 🇲🇽 México
~40%
4 Toluca 🇲🇽 México
~40%
5 San Diego 🇺🇸 United States
~40%
6 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
7 Guadalajara 🇲🇽 México
~30%
8 Tijuana 🇲🇽 México
~30%
9 Torreón 🇲🇽 México
~20%
10 San Luis Potosí 🇲🇽 México
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Cassin's Kingbird in Mexico City?

Likely

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Cassin's Kingbird sighting in Mexico City on a given day, based on 5,453 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 19th most-seen of the 332 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 Cassin's Kingbird in Mexico City?

December and January

In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Cassin's Kingbird in Mexico City on a given day, against about 30% in July and August, the lowest months. Those are among Mexico City's driest months, with about 10 mm of rain a month against 150 mm in July.

What time of day is best to see a Cassin's Kingbird?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cassin's Kingbird sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Mexico City the best place to see a Cassin's Kingbird?

3rd of 15

Of the 15 cities where we can rate Cassin's Kingbird sightings, Mexico City ranks 3rd at about 40%. The best odds are in León (México, about 80%) and Puebla (México, about 50%).

Where does the Cassin's Kingbird sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Cassin's Kingbird is recorded against all the birds logged in Mexico City (5,453 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.

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