Monday, 22 December 2025

Boat-billed Flycatcher (Megarynchus pitangua)


OTHER NAMES:
N/A
Latin Etymology: Megarynchus ("large bill") pitangua (from Tupi name for species)

 

Boat-billed Flycatcher (Megarynchus pitangua) at Carara National Park, Costa Rica - November 2025


Featured Subspecies: Megarynchus pitangua mexicanus
Weight: 53-70g  /  Length: 21.5cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A particularly large member of the tyrant flycatchers with a distinctive large bill that is uses for preying on large invertibrates such as cicadas, but will also eat fruit and small vertebrates. It has similar plumage to the also locally common great kiskadee and social flycatcher, but the huge beak is diagnostic although equally, I found it the least confiding of the three species with this photo representing my only good view.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Megarhynchus
SUBSPECIES: M. p. tardiusculus, M. p. caniceps, M. p. mexicanus, M. p. deserticola, M. p. pitangua, M. p. chrysogaster
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Bienteveo Pitanguá

Widespread and common
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Carara National Park and Tarcoles 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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