Tropical Gnatcatcher

Polioptila plumbea

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyPolioptilidae (Gnatcatchers and Gnatwrens)
GenusPolioptila (Gnatcatchers)
SpeciesPolioptila plumbea (Tropical Gnatcatcher)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Huascarán National Park

1 Verified sightings at Huascarán National Park From 2019 to 2026

13,152 Verified sightings across all 47 parks From 2019 to 2026

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

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 →

Closest Relatives at Huascarán National Park

Zonotrichia capensis

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Turdus chiguanco

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Troglodytes musculus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Phrygilus punensis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Spinus magellanicus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Cinclodes fuscus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Geospizopsis plebejus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Xenodacnis parina

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Geospizopsis unicolor

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

LC Endemic

Atlapetes rufigenis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Catamenia inornata

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

LC Endemic

Leptasthenura pileata

Daily sighting probability ~40% · 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	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~50%
2	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~50%
3	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~40%
4	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%
5	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
6	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
7	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
8	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
9	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
10	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
11	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
12	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
13	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
14	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
15	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
16	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
17	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
18	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
19	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
20	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
21	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~10%
22	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
23	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~10%
24	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
25	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
26	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
27	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
28	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
29	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
30	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
31	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
32	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
33	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
34	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
35	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
36	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
37	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
38	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
39	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
40	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
41	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
42	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
43	Brownsberg Nature Park	🇸🇷 Suriname	Insufficient data
44	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	Insufficient data
45	Huascarán National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	Insufficient data
46	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
47	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data

← Back to Huascarán National Park

Tropical Gnatcatcher

About the Tropical Gnatcatcher

Recent sightings of Tropical Gnatcatcher in Huascarán National Park

Closest Relatives at Huascarán National Park

Rufous-collared Sparrow

Chiguanco Thrush

Southern House Wren

Peruvian Sierra-Finch

Hooded Siskin

Buff-winged Cinclodes

Ash-breasted Sierra-Finch

Tit-like Dacnis

Plumbeous Sierra-Finch

Rufous-eared Brush-Finch

Plain-colored Seedeater

Rusty-crowned Tit-Spinetail

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found