Tropical Gnatcatcher
Tropical GnatcatcherTropical GnatcatcherTropical GnatcatcherTropical Gnatcatcher

Tropical Gnatcatcher

Polioptila plumbea

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
at Machalilla National Park
676 Verified sightings at Machalilla National Park From 2019 to 2026
13,152 Verified sightings across all 47 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ 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 Machalilla National Park

Long-billed Gnatwren
LC

Long-billed Gnatwren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ramphocaenus melanurus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Southern House Wren

Southern House Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Troglodytes musculus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Scrub Blackbird
LC

Scrub Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dives warczewiczi

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Blue-gray Tanager

Blue-gray Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thraupis episcopus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Tropical Kingbird
LC

Tropical Kingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tyrannus melancholicus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Saffron Finch
LC

Saffron Finch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sicalis flaveola

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Gray-breasted Martin
LC

Gray-breasted Martin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Progne chalybea

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Red-eyed Vireo
LC

Red-eyed Vireo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vireo olivaceus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Thick-billed Euphonia
LC

Thick-billed Euphonia

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Euphonia laniirostris

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Streaked Saltator
LC

Streaked Saltator

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Saltator striatipectus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet
LC

Southern Beardless-Tyrannulet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Camptostoma obsoletum

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Long-tailed Mockingbird
LC

Long-tailed Mockingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mimus longicaudatus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Gnatcatcher in Machalilla National Park?

About 50% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Gnatcatcher sighting in Machalilla National Park, based on 676 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Tropical Gnatcatcher in Machalilla National Park?

December has the highest sighting rate for Tropical Gnatcatcher in Machalilla National Park in our monthly data.

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