Tyrannus melancholicus

The Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) is a large tyrant flycatcher with a relatively large bill and long, slightly notched tail. The overall length is 18.4-23.0 cm (7.2-9 in) and mass is 32-43 g. The top and sides of the head are gray with dusky auriculars and lores. They have a concealed reddish-orange crown- patch (smaller in female). The back and rump is grayish olive. The wings are dull brown or blackish, coverts edged gray and secondaries edged whitish. In males, the inner webs of the outer primaries are distinctly notched (females slightly so). The tail and uppertail-coverts are brownish black and slightly notched. Throat is grayish white, shading to pale gray on foreneck. The remaining underparts are yellow; chest tinged olive; bill and feet black. The sexes are similar except where noted above, and there is almost no seasonal change in plumage. Immatures closely resemble adults, but may be distinguished primarily by red feathers in crown reduced or lacking, and notches on all or most outer primaries lacking.

Breeds in southeastern Arizona (uncommon and local), south through portions of Mexico and Central America south to central Peru, Guianas, and central Argentina. Northern Winter: Sonora and northeastern Mexico south through breeding range, very rarely to Pacific Coast.

Their voice is twittering trills. This species is one of a group of Mexican birds that make a post-breeding reverse migration in the late summer and fall northward along the Pacific Coast (ENature 2003). It is as aggressive against intruders like the great kiskadee and will chase after big birds like the yellow-headed caracara. Adults have been taken by Aplomado Falcons in Mexico. Swallow-tailed Kites and Chestnut-mandibled Toucans depredate eggs and nestlings.

Tyrannus melancholicus breeds from southeastern Arizona (Nearctic Region) to South America (Neotropical Region). Its winters are spent in Mexico (Nearctic Region) to South America (Neotropical Region).

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native ); neotropical (Native )

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Breeding

Global Range: BREEDS: southeastern Arizona (uncommon and local), south through portions of Mexico and Central America south to central Peru, Guianas, and central Argentina. NORTHERN WINTER: Sonora and northeastern Mexico south through breeding range (Terres 1980).

Tyrannus melancholicus has a long, dark forked tail and a fairly large bill. It weighs 32 to 43 g, is 18 to 23 cm long and has a wingspan of about 12 cm. Its head is a pale gray with contrasting darker cheeks and a patch of reddish orange on its crown. It has grayish-olive upperparts, a pale throat, a darker upper breast and a bright yellow lower breast. The plumage is not greatly affected by seasonal change. The sexes are similar except for the size of the reddish-orange crown-patch and the difference in shape of the outer primaries (males' primaries are more distinctly notched). Females tend to weigh slightly more than males. Although juvenile tropical kingbirds are physically similar to adults, they have browner upperparts and pale edges to their wings.

Tropical kingbirds are most similar to Couch's kingbirds (Tyrannus couchii) but can be distinguished by their call. Additionally, tropical kingbirds, although slightly smaller, have a longer bill than Couch's kingbirds.

The subspecies Tyrannus melancholicus satrapa is paler in color and smaller than T. melancholicus. 

Range mass: 32 to 43 g.

Range length: 18 to 23 cm.

Average wingspan: 12 cm.

Sexual Dimorphism: female larger; sexes colored or patterned differently

Length: 24 cm

Weight: 40 grams

Systems

• Terrestrial
• Freshwater

Tropical kingbirds are found in open woodlands, (particularly cottonwoods) that are near ponds or flowing streams. They can be found up to 2000 m in elevation. They inhabit open or semi-open country, avoiding densely forested areas, and can be found in temperate and tropical climates. Tropical kingbirds may also live in parks and suburbs.

Range elevation: 2000 (high) m.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical ; terrestrial

Terrestrial Biomes: forest

Other Habitat Features: suburban ; riparian

Comments: Situations with scattered trees, savanna, open woodland, forest edge, plantations, residential areas and agricultural lands (Tropical to Temperate zones) (AOU 1983). Occurs in lowlands near water in Arizona. In Arizona, often nests in cottonwoods. Usually nests on a horizontal branch of a tree, 2-12 m (usually below 4.5 m) above ground (Terres 1980), also in shrubs, sometimes low above water (Stiles and Skutch 1989).

Non-Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species do not make significant seasonal migrations. Juvenile dispersal is not considered a migration.

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: Yes. At least some populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Breeding populations in U.S. and northern Mexico are migratory. Southernmost populations are partially migratory (AOU 1983).

Tyrannus melancholicus is primarily an insectivore; it also occasionally feeds on fruit. It feeds mostly on flying insects, including Coleoptera (beetles), Hymenoptera (particularly bees and wasps), Isoptera (termites), Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), Odonata (dragonflies), and Orthoptera (grasshoppers). Its fruit diet consists of seeded fruits and berries.

Animal Foods: insects

Plant Foods: fruit

Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore )

Comments: Catches flying insects in the air; also picks insects off low vegetation or on the ground. Frequently eats berries, plucked while perched or in flight.

Tyrannus melancholicus acts as a host for various species of cowbirds. This means that the cowbirds will lay their eggs in a tropical kingbird's nest, and the tropical kingbird will raise the cowbird young as if it were its own. It is also host to many species of parasites. These include parasites that live in the bird's blood, body cavity, and on its skin. Nasal mites have also been found living in T. melancholicus. 

Tyrannus melancholicus also plays an important role in seed dispersal, and as an insectivore it serves as an important predator for insects.

Ecosystem Impact: disperses seeds

Aplomado falcons (Falco femoralis) have been known to prey on adult tropical kingbirds, while eggs and young have been attacked by swallow-tailed kites (Elanoides forficatus) and chestnut-mandibled toucans (Ramphastos swainsonii). Tyrannus melancholicus will aggressively harass a flying predator by dipping and dodging toward it from behind. It will also mob perched predators, attacking either individually, in pairs or in small groups.

Known Predators:

• Aplomado falcons (Falco femoralis)
• swallow-tailed kites (Elanoides forficatus)
• chestnut-mandibled toucans (Ramphastos swainsonii)

Tyrannus melancholicus preys on:
Insecta

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

Tyrannus melancholicus is prey of:
Elanoides forficatus
Falco femoralis
Ramphastos swainsonii

This list may not be complete but is based on published studies.

As a songbird, Tyrannus melancholicus communicates primarily through vocalizations. It will call when greeting another tropical kingbird and when chasing a predator. A male will also call when it is courting and following its mate.

The common call, which varies depending on the context, sounds like a "tere-ee-ee, tril-il-il-iil-l," or "tre-e-e-e-eip."

Tropical kingbird's songs are given throughout the day, even in the middle of the day when most other birds are silent. They also sing a song known as the Dawn Song, which they begin before sunrise, before most of the other birds begin to sing. Tyrannus melancholicus will stop singing the Dawn Song by sunrise and will not repeat it until the dawn of the next morning.

When courting, a perched male will flap its wings, sometimes lifting off from its perched position.

Tyrannus melancholicus may show aggressive behavior when defending its territory; chases often occur during the breeding season. Such aggressive behavior may include ruffling of crown feathers and a harsh series of vocalized twitters.

Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic

Predators are the main cause of mortality among T. melancholicus. Nest failure, which may occur from overheating, strong winds, and precipitation, is also a threat to T. melancholicus.

Tyrannus melancholicus is monogamous. The male will advertise his potential nesting site by calling. Calling is an important aspect of pair-bond formation; the pair bonds can last throughout the year or for just one mating season.

When courting, a perched male will flap its wings, sometimes lifting off from its perched position.

Tyrannus melancholicus may show aggressive behavior when defending its territory; chases often occur during the breeding season. Such aggressive behavior may include ruffling of crown feathers and a harsh series of vocalized twitters.

Mating System: monogamous

Because tropical kingbirds have a broad breeding range, the timing of breeding varies from place to place. They have one brood per season, with a clutch of 2 to 4 eggs. The egg-laying interval is between 1 and 2 days, and incubation lasts 15 to 16 days. Like many other birds, the nest is an open-cup that is usually located mid-story or in the canopy. The chicks fledge in 18 to 19 days and are independent in 32 to 33 days.

Breeding interval: Tropical kingbirds have one brood per season.

Breeding season: Breeding season varies throughout the range.

Range eggs per season: 2 to 4.

Range time to hatching: 15 to 16 days.

Range fledging age: 18 to 19 days.

Range time to independence: 32 to 33 days.

Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)

Both the incubating and the brooding is done by the female only; nestlings are brooded until they are 10 days old. During this time, the female may leave the nest to forage for food, but she makes sure to forage near the nest. The male remains close to the nest to defend it, sometimes moving even closer if the female leaves the nest to forage for food. Both the female and male, however, take on the responsibility of feeding the nestlings insects and berries. It takes the nestlings approximately 18 to 19 days to fledge, and after fledging they are fed by their parents for at least another 2 weeks.

Parental Investment: no parental involvement; altricial ; pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Male, Female, Protecting: Male, Female); pre-independence (Provisioning: Male, Female)

Egg dates: March-July in Costa Rica, April-July in Mexico; May-June in Arizona (Terres 1980). Clutch size usually is 2-3 or 3-4. Incubation, by female, lasts 15-16 days. Young leave nest 18-19 days after hatching (Terres 1980).

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

There are 16 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.

Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 15
Specimens with Barcodes: 34
Species With Barcodes: 1

Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

Justification

History

• 2008
  Least Concern
• 2004
  Least Concern

Tropical kingbirds are protected under the US Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

US Migratory Bird Act: protected

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N3B - Vulnerable

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

There are no known adverse affects of Tyrannus melancholicus on humans.

Tyrannus melancholicus is beneficial in agricultural areas because it feeds on insects that may be crop pests (for example, grasshoppers).

Positive Impacts: controls pest population