Great KiskadeeCosta Rica bird species · Flycatchers
Flycatchers in Costa Rica: all 81 species, and where to see them
81 species in one family, 6 found only in this corner of the world, and 52 of them here all year.
Costa Rica's official list has 81 flycatchers, about one bird in every twelve on it, and all 81 sit in a single family, the Tyrannidae. Fifty-two are residents, twelve are migrants that spend part of the year here, and four are accidentals recorded once or very few times.
Six of them are regional endemics, which means they live only in this small corner of the world. The Tawny-chested Flycatcher is the one we place: a small bird of the wet foothills round Rancho Naturalista, above Turrialba.
Every one of the 81 has its own page with a photo, and this page leans on the list itself. It gives you every name, its status and the six endemics, and we do not guess at places we have not written up. The silky-flycatchers are not in this family: the AOCR files them with the songbirds, so look for them on the wrens and thrushes page.
Where to see them
These are the 13 places where we name them, from our hotspot pages and each bird's own page.
San Gerardo de Dota and the Savegre valleySanta Elena Cloud Forest ReserveRancho Naturalista's reserve, above TurrialbaTortuguero National Park and its canalsSanta Rosa and Guanacaste National ParksCarara National ParkWilson Botanical Garden and Las CrucesGolfito Wildlife Refuge
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap- Place where we name them
- Highlands
- Caribbean Foothills
- Caribbean Lowlands
- Northern Pacific Lowlands
- Central and Southern Pacific Lowlands
- 1San Gerardo de Dota and the Savegre valleyHighlandsBlack-capped Flycatcher
- 2Cerro de la Muerte and the km 70 lookoutsHighlandsOchraceous Pewee, Dark Pewee
- 3Tapantí National Park, above the Orosí valleyHighlandsSlaty-capped Flycatcher, Rufous-browed Tyrannulet
- 4Santa Elena Cloud Forest ReserveHighlandsWhite-throated Spadebill
- 5Rancho Naturalista's reserve, above TurrialbaCaribbean FoothillsTawny-chested Flycatcher
- 6Arenal Volcano National ParkCaribbean LowlandsYellow-bellied Elaenia
- 7La Selva Biological Station, SarapiquíCaribbean LowlandsBlack-capped Pygmy-Tyrant, Yellow-winged Flatbill, Yellow Tyrannulet, Rufous Mourner, White-ringed Flycatcher
- 8Tortuguero National Park and its canalsCaribbean LowlandsEastern Kingbird
- 9Santa Rosa and Guanacaste National ParksNorthern Pacific LowlandsScissor-tailed Flycatcher
- 10Carara National ParkCentral and Southern Pacific LowlandsGolden-crowned Spadebill, Northern Bentbill, Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Greenish Elaenia, Northern Scrub-Flycatcher, Panama Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Streaked Flycatcher
- 11The Tárcoles River mangroves, by boatCentral and Southern Pacific LowlandsNorthern Scrub-Flycatcher, Panama Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee
- 12Wilson Botanical Garden and Las CrucesCentral and Southern Pacific LowlandsOchre-bellied Flycatcher, Greenish Elaenia
- 13Golfito Wildlife RefugeCentral and Southern Pacific LowlandsRusty-margined Flycatcher
The 6 regional endemics
The ones you can only see in this part of the world.
Olive-streaked Flycatcher, Cocos Tyrannulet, Tawny-chested Flycatcher, Ochraceous Pewee, Dark Pewee, Black-capped Flycatcher.
All 81 flycatchers on the list
The full group as Costa Rica's official list has it, in the list's own order. Tick them off on the printable checklist.
Gray-headed PipritesPiprites griseicepsA startled-looking, flycatcher-like bird of Caribbean foothill forest.
Stub-tailed SpadebillPlatyrinchus cancrominusA tiny dry forest flycatcher that gives itself away by its call.
White-throated SpadebillPlatyrinchus mystaceusSeen at Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
Golden-crowned SpadebillPlatyrinchus coronatusSeen at Carara National Park
Olive-streaked FlycatcherMionectes olivaceusA small, quiet flycatcher of shady highland undergrowth, found only here and in western Panama.
Ochre-bellied FlycatcherMionectes oleagineusSeen at Wilson Botanical Garden
Sepia-capped FlycatcherLeptopogon amaurocephalusAn upright, big-headed lowland flycatcher that lifts one wing over its back
Slaty-capped FlycatcherLeptopogon superciliarisSeen at Tapantí National Park
Rufous-browed TyrannuletPhylloscartes superciliarisSeen at Tapantí National Park
Black-capped Pygmy-TyrantMyiornis atricapillusSeen at La Selva Biological Station
Scale-crested Pygmy-TyrantLophotriccus pileatusA 9 cm helmeted tyrant with a police-whistle trill, found by ear.
Northern BentbillOncostoma cinereigulareSeen at Carara National Park
Slate-headed Tody-FlycatcherPoecilotriccus sylviaSeen at Carara National Park
Common Tody-FlycatcherTodirostrum cinereumTiny, yellow, tail-wagging and clicking in garden shrubs across the country.
Black-headed Tody-FlycatcherTodirostrum nigricepsTiny black-headed canopy flycatcher of eastern Costa Rica, easy to hear, hard to see.
Eye-ringed FlatbillRhynchocyclus brevirostrisA still olive flycatcher with a white eye-ring, found in mixed flocks
Yellow-olive FlatbillTolmomyias sulphurescensA small, slow-working flycatcher of both slopes, usually heard before it is seen
Yellow-winged FlatbillTolmomyias flavotectusSeen at La Selva Biological Station
Yellow-bellied TyrannuletOrnithion semiflavumTiny yellow canopy flycatcher with a white eyebrow, found by ear first.
Brown-capped TyrannuletOrnithion brunneicapillusA tiny canopy flycatcher of the Caribbean slope, found by ear first.
Northern Beardless-TyrannuletCamptostoma imberbeA tiny whistler of the northwest, at the southern edge of its range.
Southern Beardless-TyrannuletCamptostoma obsoletumA tiny, whistling Pacific slope flycatcher, brighter than its northern cousin.
Cocos TyrannuletNesotriccus ridgwayiCocos Island's only flycatcher, found nowhere else in the world.
Mouse-colored TyrannuletNesotriccus murinusA tiny, plain flycatcher of the southwest Pacific lowlands, best found by voice.
Yellow TyrannuletCapsiempis flaveolaSeen at La Selva Biological Station
Yellow-crowned TyrannuletTyrannulus elatusSmall yellow-bellied flycatcher of Pacific forest edges, found by its repeated whistle.
Greenish ElaeniaMyiopagis viridicataSeen at Carara National Park, Wilson Botanical Garden
Yellow-bellied ElaeniaElaenia flavogasterSeen at Arenal Volcano National Park
Lesser ElaeniaElaenia chiriquensisA plain olive flycatcher of open, bushy country, best told by voice.
Mountain ElaeniaElaenia frantziiSmall olive highland flycatcher, best known by its three-note dawn song
Torrent TyrannuletSerpophaga cinereaA tiny gray flycatcher that hunts boulder to boulder over fast mountain streams.
White-fronted TyrannuletAcrochordopus zeledoniA tiny, rare canopy flycatcher of Costa Rica's highland forest.
Mistletoe TyrannuletZimmerius parvusTiny flycatcher of the treetops that plants the mistletoe it eats.
Bran-colored FlycatcherMyiophobus fasciatusA tiny, streaky flycatcher of southern grass, scrub and marsh edges
Tawny-chested FlycatcherAphanotriccus capitalisSeen at Rancho Naturalista
Tufted FlycatcherMitrephanes phaeocercusA tiny crested flycatcher that sits bolt upright at highland forest edges.
Olive-sided FlycatcherContopus cooperiA vested migrant that guards the highest bare branch.
Ochraceous PeweeContopus ochraceusSeen at Cerro de la Muerte
Dark PeweeContopus lugubrisSeen at Cerro de la Muerte
Western Wood-PeweeContopus sordidulusA small gray-olive flycatcher that passes through Costa Rica in huge numbers.
Northern Tropical PeweeContopus bogotensisA small crested flycatcher of fence lines and edges, fairly common on the Caribbean side.
Eastern Wood-PeweeContopus virensA migrant flycatcher that whistles its own name from roadside posts.
Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventrisA small winter flycatcher with a bold eye ring, best found by its soft call.
Acadian FlycatcherEmpidonax virescensA green, long-winged Empidonax of Caribbean lowland forest, here as a migrant.
Alder FlycatcherEmpidonax alnorumCommon fall migrant, late August to early November, in scrub and edges.
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiA look-alike migrant flycatcher, best told apart by its voice
White-throated FlycatcherEmpidonax albigularisA small brown Empidonax of marshy Cartago edges, known by its rasp.
Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimusThe smallest, greyest migrant Empidonax, a rare winter visitor.
Yellowish FlycatcherEmpidonax flavescensA small yellow highland flycatcher with a bold eye ring, found all year.
Black-capped FlycatcherEmpidonax atricepsSeen at San Gerardo de Dota
Black PhoebeSayornis nigricansA tail-wagging black flycatcher of stream rocks, bridges and town creeks.
Eastern PhoebeSayornis phoebeA plain, tail-wagging flycatcher that reaches Costa Rica only as a vagrant.
Northern Scrub-FlycatcherSublegatus arenarumSeen at Carara National Park, Tárcoles River Mangroves
Vermilion FlycatcherPyrocephalus rubinusA small crimson flycatcher, accidental (A) on Costa Rica's official list.
Long-tailed TyrantColonia colonusBlack flycatcher with two long tail streamers, perched in the open on snags.
Bright-rumped AttilaAttila spadiceusA loud, red-eyed flycatcher that sings from hidden canopy perches.
Rufous MournerRhytipterna holerythraSeen at La Selva Biological Station
Dusky-capped FlycatcherMyiarchus tuberculiferA small, common flycatcher with a dark cap, yellow belly and a plaintive whistle.
Panama FlycatcherMyiarchus panamensisSeen at Carara National Park, Tárcoles River Mangroves
Ash-throated FlycatcherMyiarchus cinerascensAn accidental winter stray from the north, easily mistaken for Nutting's.
Nutting's FlycatcherMyiarchus nuttingiA yellow-bellied flycatcher of Guanacaste's dry forest, best named by its voice.
Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitusA bright winter flycatcher of the canopy, easier to hear than to see
Brown-crested FlycatcherMyiarchus tyrannulusA noisy, bushy-crested flycatcher of fences and scrub in the northwest.
Cattle TyrantMachetornis rixosaA slim, yellow-bellied pasture flycatcher, first recorded in Costa Rica in 2023.
Lesser KisdadeePhilohydor lictorA small waterside kiskadee, listed in Costa Rica with unconfirmed status.
Great KiskadeePitangus sulphuratusSeen at Carara National Park, Tárcoles River Mangroves
Boat-billed FlycatcherMegarynchus pitanguaHeavy-billed, yellow-bellied flycatcher, common across the whole country.
Rusty-margined FlycatcherMyiozetetes cayanensisSeen at Golfito Wildlife Refuge
Social FlycatcherMyiozetetes similisA bold-browed yellow flycatcher of edges, gardens and roadside wires
Gray-capped FlycatcherMyiozetetes granadensisBright yellow flycatcher with a gray head, common in the lowlands
White-ringed FlycatcherConopias albovittatusSeen at La Selva Biological Station
Golden-bellied FlycatcherMyiodynastes hemichrysusNoisy yellow-bellied flycatcher of cloud forest edges, with a dark stripe by the throat
Streaked FlycatcherMyiodynastes maculatusSeen at Carara National Park
Sulphur-bellied FlycatcherMyiodynastes luteiventrisA streaky, rusty-tailed canopy flycatcher that squeaks like a toy.
Piratic FlycatcherLegatus leucophaiusA small treetop flycatcher that takes over other birds' nests
Tropical KingbirdTyrannus melancholicusGray head, yellow belly, and a favourite perch on the nearest power line.
Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalisPale-breasted winter visitor, easily missed beside the Tropical Kingbird.
Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannusSeen at Tortuguero
Gray KingbirdTyrannus dominicensisA rare autumn migrant on the Caribbean coast, hidden among kingbird flocks.
Scissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatusSeen at Santa Rosa National Park
Fork-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus savanaBlack cap, white below, a very long forked tail, on open fence posts.
Names and status: AOCR Lista Oficial 2025-2026, June 2026 update.
Trips that find them
No trip on our packages pages names a flycatcher yet, so there is no list here.
Is this bird on your list?
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