Lesser Greenlet

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Lesser Greenlet in Arenal Volcano National Park?

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Greenlet sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park, based on 4,204 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: When is the best time to see Lesser Greenlet in Arenal Volcano National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Lesser Greenlet in Arenal Volcano National Park in our monthly data.

Hylophilus decurtatus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyVireonidae (Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis)
GenusHylophilus (Scrub Greenlets)
SpeciesHylophilus decurtatus (Lesser Greenlet)

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

at Arenal Volcano National Park

4,204 Verified sightings at Arenal Volcano National Park From 2019 to 2026

36,642 Verified sightings across all 50 parks From 2019 to 2026

September Best month highest sighting rate

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Lesser Greenlet

The lesser greenlet (Pachysylvia decurtata) is a small passerine bird in the family Vireonidae, the vireos, greenlets, and shrike-babblers. It is found in Mexico, every Central American country, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

The lesser greenlet was originally described in 1838 as Sylvicola decurtata. It later was renamed Hylophilus decurtatus and later still moved to its present genus Pachysylvia and its specific epithet returned to decurtata to match the feminine gender of the genus.

The lesser greenlet's further taxonomy is unsettled. The IOC, AviList, and BirdLife International's Handbook of the Birds of the World assign it these six subspecies: P. d. brevipennis (Giraud Jr, 1851) P. d. dickermani (Parkes, 1991)

P. d. phillipsi (Parkes, 1991) P. d. decurtata (Bonaparte, 1838) P. d. darienensis Griscom, 1927 P. d. minor (Berlepsch & Taczanowski, 1884) However, the Clements taxonomy does not recognize P. d. brevipennis, P. d. dickermani, and P. d. phillipsi but includes them within the nominate P. d. decurtata.

Subspecies P. d. minor was for a time treated as a separate species, the gray-headed greenlet, but regained its present subspecies status because... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park

Hylophilus ochraceiceps

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Vireo flavifrons

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Vireo olivaceus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Vireo philadelphicus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Vireo flavoviridis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cyclarhis gujanensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Vireolanius pulchellus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Ramphocelus passerinii

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Psarocolius montezuma

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Turdus grayi

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Thraupis episcopus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~60%
2	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~60%
3	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~60%
4	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~60%
5	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
6	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
7	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	~50%
8	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~50%
9	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~50%
10	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
11	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~40%
12	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
13	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
14	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
15	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
16	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
17	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
18	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
19	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~30%
20	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
21	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
22	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
23	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
24	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
25	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
26	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
27	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
28	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
29	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
30	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
31	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
32	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
33	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
34	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
35	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
36	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
37	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
38	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
39	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
40	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
41	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
42	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
43	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
44	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
45	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
46	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
47	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
48	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
49	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	Insufficient data
50	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Lesser Greenlet in Arenal Volcano National Park?

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Greenlet sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park, based on 4,204 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Lesser Greenlet in Arenal Volcano National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Lesser Greenlet in Arenal Volcano National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Arenal Volcano National Park

Lesser Greenlet

About the Lesser Greenlet

Recent sightings of Lesser Greenlet in Arenal Volcano National Park

Closest Relatives at Arenal Volcano National Park

Tawny-crowned Greenlet

Yellow-throated Vireo

Red-eyed Vireo

Philadelphia Vireo

Yellow-green Vireo

Rufous-browed Peppershrike

Green Shrike-Vireo

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Montezuma Oropendola

Clay-colored Thrush

Great Kiskadee

Blue-gray Tanager

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Quick answers