Lesser Greenlet
Lesser GreenletLesser GreenletLesser Greenlet

Lesser Greenlet

Hylophilus decurtatus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
3,190 Verified sightings at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve From 2019 to 2026
36,642 Verified sightings across all 50 parks From 2019 to 2026
October 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 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Tawny-crowned Greenlet
LC

Tawny-crowned Greenlet

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hylophilus ochraceiceps

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Philadelphia Vireo
LC

Philadelphia Vireo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vireo philadelphicus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Yellow-throated Vireo
LC

Yellow-throated Vireo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vireo flavifrons

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Rufous-browed Peppershrike
LC

Rufous-browed Peppershrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cyclarhis gujanensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Red-eyed Vireo
LC

Red-eyed Vireo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vireo olivaceus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Brown-capped Vireo
LC

Brown-capped Vireo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vireo leucophrys

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Yellow-green Vireo
LC

Yellow-green Vireo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vireo flavoviridis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Blue-headed Vireo
LC

Blue-headed Vireo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vireo solitarius

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Warbling Vireo
LC

Warbling Vireo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Vireo gilvus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Brown Jay

Brown Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Psilorhinus morio

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Southern House Wren

Southern House Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Troglodytes musculus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Slate-throated Redstart
LC

Slate-throated Redstart

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myioborus miniatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

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 Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve?

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Lesser Greenlet sighting in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, based on 3,190 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Lesser Greenlet in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve?

October has the highest sighting rate for Lesser Greenlet in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in our monthly data.

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