Social Flycatcher (Myiozetetes similis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Myiozetetes ("fly searcher") similis ("similar")

 

Social Flycatcher (Myiozetetes similis) at Alajuela, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Myiozetetes similis texensis
Weight: 24-27g  /  Length: 16-18.5cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

With a similar colour palette to the bolder and louder Great Kiskadee, it can be somewhat easy to skim over the more timid social flycatcher, but it is still in itself a widespread and adaptable species. They are versatile with altitude being found over 2200m and have a varied diet which includes invertebrates, berries and even the occasional small vertebrate like tadpoles.
 

Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Myiozetetes
SUBSPECIES: M. s. primulus, M. s. hesperis, M. s. texensis, M. s. columbianus, M. s. similis, M. s. grandis, M. s. pallidiventris

- Sighting Locations - 

COSTA RICA - Spanish (Costa Rica) - Mosquero Cejiblanco
Common resident
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles and Alajuela 

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

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Common Tody-flycatcher (Todirostrum cinereum)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Todirostrum ("tody beak") cinereum ("ash grey")

 

Common Tody-flycatcher (Todirostrum cinereum) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Todirostrum cinereum finitimum
Weight: 4-8g  /  Length: 8.8-10cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A widespread species that is found from Mexico to Paraguay, but because it doesn't inhabit dense forest is actually absent from a huge proportion of the Amazon core. They often feed in pairs of small family groups foraging at relatively low levels for invertibrates to eat. They are capable on an incredibly fast "tic" call which they can repeat up to 110 times a minute in the breeding season.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Todirostrum
SUBSPECIES: T. c. virididorsale, T. c. finitimum, T. c. wetmorei, T. c. sclateri, T. c. cinereum, T. c. peruanum, T. c. coloreum, T. c. cearae 

 - Sighting Locations - 

COSTA RICA - Spanish (Costa Rican) - Espatulilla Común
A widespread resident
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles 

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

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Mountain Elaenia (Elaenia frantzii)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Elaenia ("of olive oil") frantzii (for naturalist Alexander von Frantzius)

Mountain Elaenia (Elaenia frantzii) at San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Elaenia frantzii frantzii
Weight: 14-24g  /  Length: 14-15cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A small tyrant flycatcher found in cloudforests from Guatemala to Colombia. While they are flycatchers, they do consume a larger proportion of fruit in their diet than most species in tyrannidae. Their taxonomy is somewhat unresolved with the possibility of the species being split in two - one as the Central American species, one as the South American species.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Elaenia
SUBSPECIES: E. f. ultima, E. f. frantzii, E. f. browni, E. f. pudica
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish (Costa Rica) - Elainia Montañera
Resident of forest above 1200m
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at San Gerardo de Dota 

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

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Ochre-bellied Flycatcher (Mionectes oleagineus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology:  Mionectes ("having too little") oleagineus ("olive coloured")

Ochre-bellied Flycatcher (Mionectes oleagineus) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Mionectes oleagineus assimilis
Weight: 7.5-18.5g  /  Length: 12.5-14cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A rather plain and drab flycatcher of the Neotropics with the bulk of it's range comprising the Amazon Rainforest. Unusually, it has a mixed breeding strategy, where roughly half the population finds mates via leks where they display communally, while the other half find mates solo.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Mionectes
SUBSPECIES: M. o . assimilis, M. o. parcus, M. o. abdominalis, M. o. pallidiventris, M. o. dorsalis, M. o. pacificus, M. o. oleagineus
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish (Costa Rica) - Mosquerito Aceitunado
A common resident.
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles

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

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Dusky-capped Flycatcher (Myiarchus tuberculifer)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Myiarchus ("fly ruler") tuberculifer ("small bump") 

Dusky-capped Flycatcher (Myiarchus tuberculifer) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Myiarchus tuberculifer nigricapillus
Weight: 14-27g  /  Length: 15-17cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A widely distributed species found from the Southern US to Brazil and Argentina, they are quite variable across the range with some populations having the namesake "dusky" cap as near black while in other it is brown. An unusually altitudinally variable species, it ranges from sea level to in some parts of its range, nearly 3000m!
 

Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Myiarchus
SUBSPECIES: M. t. olivascens, M. t. lawrenceii, M. t. querulous, M. t. platyrhynchus, M. t. manens, M. t. connectens, M. t. littoralis, M. t. nigricapillus, M. t. brunneiceps, M. t. pallidus, M. t. tuberculifer, M. t. nigriceps, M. t. atriceps

 

- Sighting Locations - 

COSTA RICA - Spanish (Costa Rican) - Copetón Crestioscuro
A widespread and common resident
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles 

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

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Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tyrannus ("absolute ruler") melancholicus ("bad tempered")

 

Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Tyrannus melancholicus satrapa
Weight: 39g  /  Length: 22cm  /  Wingspan: 34-41cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

One of the most widespread and common species of Costa Rica, and indeed Central to South America, with the only continental country from Mexico Southwards it's absent from is Chile. They are primarily insectivores, swooping from exposed perches such as branches or overhead wires to catch insects in mid air, although they will also take fruit. 
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Tyrannus
SUBSPECIES: T. m. satrapa, T. m. despotes, T. m. melancholicus
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish (Costa Rica) - Tirano Tropical (Tropical Tyrant)

Widespread and Common
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles and Alajuela

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

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Yellow-olive Flatbill (Tolmomyias sulphurescens)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tolmomyias ("courageous flycatcher") sulphurescens ("sulphur yellow")

 

Yellow-olive Flatbill (Tolmomyias sulphurescens) at Tarcoles, Costa Rica - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: Tolmomyias sulphurescens cinereiceps
Weight: 14.5-15g  /  Length: 12.5-14cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A widely distributed species found from the Yucatan to Argentina, mostly only absent from high mountain ranges in between. There is some suggestion it may be split it in the future due to the number and variation among the subspecies. It joins mixed species feeding flocks, but seemed to be more timid than other species found in that context.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Tolmomyias
SUBSPECIES: T. s. cinereiceps, T. s. flavoolivaceus, T. s. berlepschi, T. s. exortivus, T. s. asemus, T. s. confusus, T. s. duidae, T. s. aequatorialis, T. s. cherriei, T. s. peruvianus, T. s. insignis, T. s. mixtus,T. s. inornatus, T. s. pallescens, T. s. grisescens, T. s. sulphurescens

 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Picoplano Sulfuroso
A widespread and fairly common species.
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at Tarcoles 

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

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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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Black-capped Flycatcher (Empidonax atriceps)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Empidonax ("mosquito lord") atriceps ("dark head")

Black-capped Flycatcher (Empidonax atriceps) at San Gerardo de Dota - November 2025

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 9g /  Length: 10-12cm  /  Wingspan: ?
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

An endemic of the Talamancan Montane Forests in Costa Rica and Panama, they are found above 1850m, particularly in Oak Forests, and are largely sedentary, although their may be some seasonal altitudinal movement. As is usual for empidonax flycatchers, it hunts by hawking from a set post to catch insects in flight.
 
Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Empidonax
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 
 
- Sighting Locations -

COSTA RICA - Spanish - Mosquero Cabecinegro
Common in Montane Forests
- COSTA RICA 2025 TRIP: Seen at San Gerardo de Dota

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

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Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Empidonax ("mosquito lord") traillii (named for Thomas Stewart Traill)

Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) at San Jose - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Unknown
Weight: 13.5g  /  Length: 13-15cm  /  Wingspan: 22cm
 NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The willow flycatcher is a widely distributed member of the infamous Empidonax genus, and is found throughout much of the continental USA. In the field, it is only clearly distinguishable from the Alder flycatcher by song, but that species isn't found regularly in California and most of it's breeding range is in Canada. This individual was seen when caught in mist nets by authorised handlers in San Jose, and was the only individual of the species we saw during the week.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Empidonax
SUBSPECIES: E. t. adastus, E. t. brewsteri, E. t. extimus, E. t. traillii

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 

Found widely across most of the Northern Lower 48
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Jose 

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

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Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)

OTHER NAMES: Western Flycatcher (former combined species name) 
Latin Etymology: Empidonax ("mosquito lord") difficilis ("difficult")

 

Adult Pacific Slope Flycatcher (subspecies E. d. difficilis) at Berkeley, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Empidonax difficilis difficilis
Weight: 9-12g  /  Length: 12cm  /  Wingspan: 20-23cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A species of the infamously hard to identify "empid" complex, they are unrelated to the old world flycatchers and are in fact a part of the Tyrannides clade - a group found exclusively in the Americas that contains a diverse range of colourful species. This species' closest relative is the Cordilleran Flycatcher, which is was formerly considered part of the same species (the Western Flycatcher) but is at a point where the two species are considered indistinguishable in the field, only separated by voice of the male.

Related Species: 
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Tyrannidae
Genus: Empidonax
SUBSPECIES: E. d. difficilis, E. d. insulicola, E. d. cineritius

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds along West Coast States including Alaskan panhandle.
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at  Berkeley and San Jose

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

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