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)
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: T. m. satrapa (Cabanis & Heine, 1860) – southwest USA to north Colombia, north Venezuela and Trinidad T. m. despotes (Lichtenstein, MHK, 1823) – northeast Brazil T. m. melancholicus Vieillot, 1819 – north South America to central Argentina
An adult tropical kingbird is 22... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Darién National Park
Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Tyrannus savana
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Gray Kingbird
Tyrannus dominicensis
Streaked Flycatcher
Myiodynastes maculatus
Great Crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus crinitus
Yellow-breasted Flycatcher
Tolmomyias flaviventris
Rusty-margined Flycatcher
Myiozetetes cayanensis
Black-headed Tody-Flycatcher
Todirostrum nigriceps
Bright-rumped Attila
Attila spadiceus
Forest Elaenia
Myiopagis gaimardii
Piratic Flycatcher
Legatus leucophaius
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Megarynchus pitangua
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 Kingbird in Darién National Park?
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Kingbird sighting in Darién National Park, based on 2,488 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Tropical Kingbird in Darién National Park?
November has the highest sighting rate for Tropical Kingbird in Darién National Park in our monthly data.