Scarlet Tanager
Image: Lee (cc-by-nc)
NameScarlet Tanager
Common NameScarlet Tanager
Scientific NamePiranga olivacea
FamilyCardinalidae
Wingspan (cm)27
Length (cm)17.5
Weight (g)31.5
Plumage DetailsBreeding males are brilliant scarlet red with black wings and tail. Females and first-year males are olive-yellow on the head and underparts, with olive-green backs and dark wings and tail. Non-breeding males resemble females but may retain some red or have mottled plumage. The bird in the image appears to be a female or non-breeding male, showing olive-yellowish plumage with dark wings.
Vocalization / CallTheir song is a robin-like, hoarse 'chip-churr, chip-churr, chip-churr' or 'chick-burr, chick-burr, chick-burr.' Their call note is a distinctive 'chip-churr' or 'chip-burr.'
Primary Dietomnivore
Primary Habitatsdeciduous forest, mixed forest, woodlands
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeBreeds in eastern North America, from southeastern Canada south to the northern Gulf Coast states. Winters in northern South America, primarily in the Andes foothills from Colombia to Bolivia.
Identifying Featuresbright red plumage (breeding male), black wings and tail (breeding male), olive-yellow plumage (female/non-breeding male), dark wings (female/non-breeding male), robin-like song, distinctive 'chip-churr' call
Description
A medium-sized songbird, the breeding male Scarlet Tanager is strikingly bright red with black wings and tail. Females and non-breeding males are typically yellowish-green with dark wings. They are often found high in the canopy of deciduous forests, foraging for insects and fruits.
