The Story
I photographed this Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) at Hacienda El Retorno in La Chamba, Guamo, Tolima, Colombia. It breeds from southern Arizona and Texas through Central and South America to central Argentina. It breeds in semi-open areas with trees and shrubs, including gardens and roadsides. In most of its range pairs are permanent residents and stay together all year. Its prey includes beetles, bees, wasps, termites, butterflies, dragonflies and grasshoppers. Guamo is known as the cattle capital of Tolima, and three rivers run through the municipality: the Luisa, the Magdalena and the Saldaña.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1600, +1 EV. IUCN lists the Tropical Kingbird as Least Concern, with an increasing population.
©2019 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus) belongs to the family Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2022), with the population trend listed as increasing. Source: IUCN Red List