

Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyTyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
- GenusTyrannus (Kingbirds)
- SpeciesTyrannus melancholicus (Tropical Kingbird)
In 3 days >90%
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 →
Recent sightings of Tropical Kingbird in San Pedro Sula
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States |
Closest Relatives at San Pedro Sula
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Kingbird in San Pedro Sula?
Very likely
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird sighting in San Pedro Sula on a given day, based on 552 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 187 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 San Pedro Sula?
June
In that month about 90% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird in San Pedro Sula on a given day, against about 70% in February–March and May, 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 San Pedro Sula the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?
7th of 60
Of the 60 cities where we can rate Tropical Kingbird sightings, San Pedro Sula ranks 7th 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 San Pedro Sula (552 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.