Piratic Flycatcher
Legatus leucophaius
Silhouette: Emily Willoughby · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyTyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)
- GenusLegatus
- SpeciesLegatus leucophaius (Piratic Flycatcher)
About the Piratic Flycatcher
The piratic flycatcher (Legatus leucophaius) is a passerine bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Mexico, in every Central American country except El Salvador, in Trinidad and Tobago, and in every mainland South American country except Chile, though in Uruguay only as a vagrant. It has also occurred several times as a vagrant in the southern United States.
The piratic flycatcher was originally described in 1818 as Platyrhynchos leucophaius. It was later moved to its current genus Legatus that was erected in 1859. For a time it was also known as Legatus albicollis. The piratic flycatcher is the only member of genus Legatus. It has two subspecies, the nominate L. l. leucophaius (Vieillot, 1818) and L. l. variegatus (Sclater, PL, 1857).
The piratic flycatcher is 14.5 to 17 cm (5.7 to 6.7 in) long and weighs 19 to 26 g (0.67 to 0.92 oz). The sexes and the subspecies have the same plumage though subspecies L. l. variegatus is significantly larger than the nominate. Adults have a blackish forehead and crown with a partially hidden yellow patch on the latter. They have a wide dull whitish supercilium that extends... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Piratic Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Tortuguero National Park
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus
Social Flycatcher
Myiozetetes similis
Common Tody-Flycatcher
Todirostrum cinereum
Boat-billed Flycatcher
Megarynchus pitangua
Bright-rumped Attila
Attila spadiceus
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Contopus virens
Guatemalan Paltry Tyrannulet
Zimmerius vilissimus
Great Crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus crinitus
Gray-capped Flycatcher
Myiozetetes granadensis
Brown-capped Tyrannulet
Ornithion brunneicapillus
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Piratic Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Piratic Flycatcher sighting in Tortuguero National Park, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Piratic Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Piratic Flycatcher in Tortuguero National Park in our monthly data.