Tropical Kingbird

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

With luck. About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird sighting in Los Quetzales National Park on a given day, based on 1,041 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 70th most-seen of the 252 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

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

August to October. In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird in Los Quetzales National Park on a given day, against about 10% in November to July, the lowest months. Those are among Los Quetzales National Park's wettest months, with about 580 mm of rain a month against 70 mm in February.

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 Los Quetzales National Park the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

77th of 87. Of the 87 parks where we can rate Tropical Kingbird sightings, Los Quetzales National Park ranks 77th at about 10%. 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 Los Quetzales National Park?

Same family: Tyrannidae. The closest relatives of the Tropical Kingbird that you can see in Los Quetzales National Park (family Tyrannidae, Tyrant Flycatchers) are Mountain Elaenia (about 50%), Tufted Flycatcher (about 30%) and Black-capped 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 Los Quetzales National Park (1,041 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 ~10% · With luck

at Los Quetzales National Park

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%

1,041 Verified sightings at Los Quetzales National Park From 2019 to 2026

92,094 In all 87 parks

October 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 Los Quetzales National Park

Elaenia frantzii

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Mitrephanes phaeocercus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Empidonax atriceps

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Empidonax flavescens

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Serpophaga cinerea

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Zimmerius vilissimus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Contopus lugubris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Sayornis nigricans

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Megarynchus pitangua

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Contopus ochraceus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Olive-striped Flycatcher (Olive-streaked)

Mionectes olivaceus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

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

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird sighting in Los Quetzales National Park on a given day, based on 1,041 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 70th most-seen of the 252 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

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

August to October

In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird in Los Quetzales National Park on a given day, against about 10% in November to July, the lowest months. Those are among Los Quetzales National Park's wettest months, with about 580 mm of rain a month against 70 mm in February.

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 Los Quetzales National Park the best place to see a Tropical Kingbird?

77th of 87

Of the 87 parks where we can rate Tropical Kingbird sightings, Los Quetzales National Park ranks 77th at about 10%. 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 Los Quetzales National Park?

Same family: Tyrannidae

The closest relatives of the Tropical Kingbird that you can see in Los Quetzales National Park (family Tyrannidae, Tyrant Flycatchers) are Mountain Elaenia (about 50%), Tufted Flycatcher (about 30%) and Black-capped 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 Los Quetzales National Park (1,041 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 Los Quetzales National Park

Tropical Kingbird

About the Tropical Kingbird

Sounds

Recent sightings of Tropical Kingbird in Los Quetzales National Park

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at Los Quetzales National Park

Mountain Elaenia

Tufted Flycatcher

Black-capped Flycatcher

Yellowish Flycatcher

Torrent Tyrannulet

Guatemalan Paltry Tyrannulet

Dark Pewee

Black Phoebe

Boat-billed Flycatcher

Ochraceous Pewee

Great Kiskadee

Olive-striped Flycatcher (Olive-streaked)

Before you go

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

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

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

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

Which relatives of the Tropical Kingbird live in Los Quetzales National Park?

Where does the Tropical Kingbird sighting chance come from?