Boat-billed Flycatcher

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Boat-billed Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park?

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Boat-billed Flycatcher sighting in Tortuguero National Park, based on 1,120 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

Q: When is the best time to see Boat-billed Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Boat-billed Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park in our monthly data.

Megarynchus pitangua

Silhouette: Emily Willoughby · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyTyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
GenusMegarynchus
SpeciesMegarynchus pitangua (Boat-billed Flycatcher)

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

at Tortuguero National Park

1,120 Verified sightings at Tortuguero National Park From 2019 to 2026

38,846 Verified sightings across all 82 parks From 2019 to 2026

January Best month highest sighting rate

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

About the Boat-billed Flycatcher

The boat-billed flycatcher (Megarynchus pitangua) is a large member of the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Mexico, in every Central American country, on Trinidad, and in every mainland South American country though only as a vagrant in Chile.

The boat-billed flycatcher was originally described as Lanius pitangua, mistakenly placing it in the shrike family. It was eventually moved to its present genus Megarynchus that was erected in 1824. That name is from the Greek "μεγα" (mega) meaning "much" and "ῥυγχος" (rhunkhos) meaning "bill". The specific epithet derives from the Tupi language name for the bird, "Pitanguá guacú".

The boat-billed flycatcher is the only member of its genus and has these six subspecies: M. p. tardiusculus Moore, RT, 1941 M. p. caniceps Ridgway, 1906 M. p. mexicanus (Lafresnaye, 1851) M. p. deserticola Griscom, 1930 M. p. pitangua (Linnaeus, 1766)

M. p. chrysogaster Sclater, PL, 1860 There are differences among the subspecies' vocalizations, leading some authors to state that "critical re-evaluation of [the] races is needed". The Clements taxonomy recognizes some distinctions within the species by calling... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Tortuguero National Park

Pitangus sulphuratus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Tyrannus melancholicus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Myiozetetes similis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Todirostrum cinereum

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Attila spadiceus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Contopus virens

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Zimmerius vilissimus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Myiarchus crinitus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Myiozetetes granadensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Ornithion brunneicapillus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Tyrannus tyrannus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Myiarchus tuberculifer

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

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	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~60%
2	Chapada dos Guimarães National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~40%
3	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~40%
4	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	~40%
5	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~40%
6	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
7	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
8	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
9	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
10	Tijuca National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%
11	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~30%
12	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
13	Chapada Diamantina National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%
14	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~30%
15	Iguazú National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~30%
16	Noel Kempff Mercado National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~30%
17	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
18	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~30%
19	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
20	Iguaçu National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~30%
21	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
22	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
23	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
24	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
25	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
26	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
27	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
28	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~20%
29	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~20%
30	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
31	Itatiaia National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
32	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
33	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
34	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
35	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~20%
36	Celaque National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
37	Serra dos Órgãos National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~20%
38	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
39	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
40	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
41	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~20%
42	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
43	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	~20%
44	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
45	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~20%
46	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
47	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	~20%
48	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
49	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~10%
50	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
51	Serra da Canastra National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
52	Emas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
53	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
54	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	~10%
55	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
56	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
57	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
58	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
59	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
60	Amboró National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~10%
61	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
62	Anavilhanas National Park	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
63	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
64	Puracé National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
65	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
66	Parque Estadual Encontro das Águas	🇧🇷 Brazil	~10%
67	Canaima National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~10%
68	El Impenetrable National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	~10%
69	Iberá National Park	🇦🇷 Argentina	<5%
70	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
71	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
72	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
73	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
74	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
75	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	<5%
76	Podocarpus National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
77	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
78	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
79	Coiba National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
80	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
81	Brownsberg Nature Park	🇸🇷 Suriname	Insufficient data
82	Irazú Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Boat-billed Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park?

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Boat-billed Flycatcher sighting in Tortuguero National Park, based on 1,120 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Boat-billed Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Boat-billed Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Tortuguero National Park

Boat-billed Flycatcher

About the Boat-billed Flycatcher

Recent sightings of Boat-billed Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park

Closest Relatives at Tortuguero National Park

Great Kiskadee

Tropical Kingbird

Social Flycatcher

Common Tody-Flycatcher

Bright-rumped Attila

Eastern Wood-Pewee

Guatemalan Paltry Tyrannulet

Great Crested Flycatcher

Gray-capped Flycatcher

Brown-capped Tyrannulet

Eastern Kingbird

Dusky-capped Flycatcher

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Quick answers