Tropical Gnatcatcher
Polioptila plumbea
About This Species
Search low-to-mid-level scrub and open woodland for this small, restless gnatcatcher, recognisable by its habit of flicking its tail while foraging for tiny insects among leaves and twigs. Its thin, wheezy calls help locate it in dense foliage where it can otherwise be hard to see. Drier periods, when foliage thins slightly, tend to make it easier to follow as it moves through low cover.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Stay still and let it forage naturally rather than pushing into the scrub after it, since this species moves through vegetation quickly and is easily lost if pressed.
- Wild birds are protected from capture and harm under national wildlife laws across its range in Central and South America, though specific provisions vary by country.
- Use patience and quiet observation rather than close pursuit.
LCAvesPasseriformesPolioptilidae
Seasonal Activity
200,396 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Polioptilidae
Photo
(c) Paul Cools, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Paul Cools
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.