Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Ramphocelus passerinii

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%

228 Verified sightings at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary From 2019 to 2026
46,478 In all 26 parks
February Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Scarlet-rumped Tanager

The scarlet-rumped tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii) is a passerine bird in the family Thraupidae, the tanagers and allies. It is found from Mexico to Panama. The scarlet-rumped tanager has a complicated taxonomic history. It was formally described by Charles Lucien Bonaparte in 1831 with its current binomial Ramphocelus passerinii. Based on a 1996 publication, beginning in 1997 the two were split into "Passerini's tanager" (R. passerinii) and "Cherrie's tanager" (R. costaricensis). However, a study published in 2017 refuted their status as separate species and several taxonomic systems soon returned them to their pre-split status as subspecies of the scarlet-rumped tanager. BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World made the change in 2023.

The scarlet-rumped tanager is about 15 to 17 cm (6 to 6.5 in) long and weighs 25.5 to 37.0 g (0.90 to 1.3 oz). The species is sexually dimorphic. Males of the nominate subspecies are almost entirely velvety black. Their lower back, rump... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Song0:57

Costa Rica · 2024

© Scott Olmstead · XC956675 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Call0:38

Costa Rica · 2024

© Alain Verneau · XC863661 · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Dawn song0:33

Panama · 2015

© Peter Boesman · XC271565 · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~80%
2 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~80%
3 Poás Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~70%
4 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~70%
5 Chirripó National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~60%
6 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~60%
7 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~50%
8 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~50%
9 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~50%
10 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~50%
11 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~40%
12 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
~40%
13 Bastimentos Island National Marine Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~40%
14 Volcán Barú National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~30%
15 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~30%
16 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~30%
17 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~20%
18 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
19 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~20%
20 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
21 Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
22 Rincón de la Vieja National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
23 Pico Bonito National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
24 Lago de Yojoa 🇭🇳 Honduras
~10%
25 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
26 Los Quetzales National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 San José 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

# Zoo / Centre Country
1 La Paz Waterfall Gardens 🇨🇷 Costa Rica In captivity

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Scarlet-rumped Tanager in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Scarlet-rumped Tanager sighting in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary on a given day, based on 228 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 77th most-seen of the 277 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Scarlet-rumped Tanager in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary?

February, June and December

In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Scarlet-rumped Tanager in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary on a given day, against about 10% in September and October, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Scarlet-rumped Tanager?

Between 2 and 5 pm

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

Where does the Scarlet-rumped Tanager sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Scarlet-rumped Tanager is recorded against all the birds logged in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (228 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.

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