Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca
Credit: Jorge Montejo

North American field guide

Tropical Kingbird

Tyrannus melancholicus

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Identification

Field notes

24 cm (9") Rare. Southeastern Arizona. River groves, chaparral, cottonwoods. Along western coast in fall and winter.

Very similar to Couch's Kingbird. Gray head, white throat, dark ear patch. Back is olive gray. Belly is bright yellow. Plain black tail is slightly notched.

Song: rapid series of "pip-pip-pip-pip".

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 1 rule

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Tropical Kingbird

1 rule
Rule 1 18 criteria confidence 1
What SIZE was the TAIL ?
Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
What colour TAIL PATTERN was there if any ?
None · Unknown
What colour was the TAIL ?
Brown, brownish red, cinnamon · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?
Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?
Yellow · Unknown
What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
Uniform color · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?
Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?
White, or pale (grayish-white) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?
Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?
Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?
Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?
Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?
Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?
Southwestern United States
result:856-tropical-kingbird:1:1 Source: 856 Tropical Kingbird, row 1