Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush

How to find it

Listen for the thin, flute-like song in dark forest understory, since the bird is easily overlooked. Dawn, afternoon and dusk are when males sing. Roadsides near dawn or dusk can also give a view. A recording from the Arenal Hanging Bridges, at 594 m, came from dense rain forest undergrowth, which suggests a walk on forest trails there. Scan low perches near the path, because singing birds may sit at waist height. Patience and persistence paid off for one tour group at Braulio Carrillo.

How to recognise it

This is a small thrush, about 16 cm long and about 30 g.

The field marks, in plain terms:

Black cap.

Dark gray face.

Olive-brown back.

Gray-brown breast with a whitish belly.

Bright orange bill and legs, which make it easy to tell within its range.

Females look like males but have a browner black cap. In Costa Rica it is darker above than Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, especially on the head.

What it sounds like

Recording: Liam Steele, CC BY 4.0, source, read 4 Nov 2026.

Behaviour and diet

Males sing from low perches, about 1 to 3 m up in shrubs, mostly at dawn, in the afternoon and at dusk. The bird feeds on or near the ground and sometimes visits roadsides near daybreak or dusk.

On one Braulio Carrillo trail a bird sang softly from a waist-high branch right beside the path. At Arenal, one came in close along a waterfall trail and gave close views. At one stop in the foothills a tour group saw one bathing in a pool.

Where it lives

In Costa Rica it lives in the dark understory of primary forest. On the Caribbean slope it is found from about 300 to 800 m, and locally up to 1000 m. On the Pacific side it ranges from about 700 to 1300 m in the northern mountain ranges.

The Costa Rican race occurs in the highlands from Nicaragua through Costa Rica to western Panama. It may once have been widespread in the Central Valley. Across its wider range, some birds move much lower after breeding, even down to sea level, in the non-breeding season.

When to see it

Breeding in Costa Rica runs from March to July. One singing bird was recorded at Reserva Curi-Cancha at 8:05 am on 19 May 2019, a reminder that mornings are good for listening.

Similar birds

In dim understory it can be confused with Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush, which has rusty brown upperparts; the Black-headed is darker above, especially on the head. Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush has a pale eye and a darker breast. Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush hops about in clearings and on roads at high elevation, while the Black-headed stays in dark undergrowth.

Names and lore in Costa Rica

Costa Rican sources call it Zorzal Cabecinegro. Other Spanish names used across its range include Zorzal Corona Negra and Zorzalito Cabecinegro.

Status and conservation

Listed as a resident (R) on the AOCR list, it is common on the Caribbean slope, uncommon on the Pacific slope, and rated Least Concern by the IUCN.

Photography tips

Low perches near trails are worth scanning: one bird sang softly from a waist-high branch right next to a Braulio Carrillo trail. Patience and persistence paid off for a group that got fine views of a singing bird there. Expect dim light under the canopy.