Tropical Gnatcatcher
Polioptila plumbea
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyPolioptilidae (Gnatcatchers and Gnatwrens)
- GenusPolioptila (Gnatcatchers)
- SpeciesPolioptila plumbea (Tropical Gnatcatcher)
About the Tropical Gnatcatcher
The tropical gnatcatcher (Polioptila plumbea) is a small active insectivorous songbird, which is a resident species throughout a large part of northern South America. It was formerly considered as conspecific with the white-browed gnatcatcher and the Marañón gnatcatcher.
The tropical gnatcatcher was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it in the genus Todus, coined the binomial name Todus plumbeus and specified the type locality as Suriname in South America. The specific epithet plumbeus is Latin meaning "plumbeous" or "lead-coloured". Gmelin based his account on the "Plumbeous tody" that had been described in 1782 by the English ornithologist John Latham in his book A General Synopsis of Birds. Latham had examined a specimen in the collection of the British Museum. The tropical gnatcatcher is now one of 17 gnatcatchers placed in the genus Polioptila that was introduced in 1855 by the English zoologist Philip Sclater.
The tropical gnatcatcher was formerly considered to conspecific with the white-browed gnatcatcher (Polioptila bilineata) and the Marañón... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Tropical Gnatcatcher in Anavilhanas National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Anavilhanas National Park
Collared Gnatwren
Microbates collaris
Long-billed Gnatwren
Ramphocaenus melanurus
Yellow-rumped Cacique
Cacicus cela
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Screaming Piha
Lipaugus vociferans
Silver-beaked Tanager
Ramphocelus carbo
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
White-winged Swallow
Tachycineta albiventer
Blue-gray Tanager
Thraupis episcopus
Gray Antbird
Cercomacra cinerascens
Yellow-crowned Tyrannulet
Tyrannulus elatus
Bananaquit
Coereba flaveola
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Gnatcatcher in Anavilhanas National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Gnatcatcher sighting in Anavilhanas National Park, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Tropical Gnatcatcher in Anavilhanas National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Tropical Gnatcatcher in Anavilhanas National Park in our monthly data.