Tropical Gnatcatcher
Tropical GnatcatcherTropical GnatcatcherTropical GnatcatcherTropical Gnatcatcher

Tropical Gnatcatcher

Polioptila plumbea

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Parque Natural Metropolitano
349 Verified sightings at Parque Natural Metropolitano From 2019 to 2026
13,152 Verified sightings across all 47 parks From 2019 to 2026
February 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 Parque Natural Metropolitano

Long-billed Gnatwren
LC

Long-billed Gnatwren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ramphocaenus melanurus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
White-shouldered Tanager

White-shouldered Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Loriotus luctuosus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Cocoa Woodcreeper
LC

Cocoa Woodcreeper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Xiphorhynchus susurrans

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Rufous-breasted Wren
LC

Rufous-breasted Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pheugopedius rutilus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Crimson-backed Tanager
LC

Crimson-backed Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ramphocelus dimidiatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Tropical Kingbird
LC

Tropical Kingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tyrannus melancholicus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Rufous-and-white Wren
LC

Rufous-and-white Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thryophilus rufalbus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Lesser Greenlet
LC

Lesser Greenlet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hylophilus decurtatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Dusky Antbird
LC

Dusky Antbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cercomacra tyrannina

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Bay-breasted Warbler

Bay-breasted Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga castanea

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Blue-gray Tanager

Blue-gray Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thraupis episcopus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Clay-colored Thrush
LC

Clay-colored Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus grayi

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 Parque Natural Metropolitano?

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Gnatcatcher sighting in Parque Natural Metropolitano, based on 349 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Tropical Gnatcatcher in Parque Natural Metropolitano?

February has the highest sighting rate for Tropical Gnatcatcher in Parque Natural Metropolitano in our monthly data.

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