Overview
You can spot a male scarlet tanager by its ridiculously vivid red body, set off by deep black wings and a black tail during the breeding season. Once that season ends, males trade in their red for a yellow-green look that’s pretty close to the female scarlet tanager, but they keep those black wings and tail.
Females stick with their olive-green tones all year, which lets them melt right into the forest canopy. That camouflage works wonders up there.
Scarlet tanagers belong to the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). Cardinals, grosbeaks, and buntings are in this group too.
Their scientific name? Piranga olivacea. While they look a bit like summer tanagers and western tanagers, you’ll notice the scarlet tanager’s unique red-and-black combo if you look closely.
Scarlet tanagers spend the warmer months mostly in mature deciduous forests. You’ll find them in the eastern United States and southern Canada when they’re breeding.
They prefer big stretches of forest. That’s probably because it helps them dodge predators and brood parasites like the brown-headed cowbird.
When winter rolls around, they head south to northwestern South America – think Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Their migration is no joke; they often travel at night and sometimes cross the Gulf of Mexico in one go.
Diet and Foraging
Scarlet tanagers mainly go after insects, but they won’t turn down fruit or other plant stuff. They hunt by moving through the treetops or along branches, poking around with their beaks for prey.
- Beetles
- Butterflies and moths
- Grasshoppers
- Cicadas
- Dragonflies
- Leafhoppers
- Termites
- Wasps and ants
When bugs get scarce, they’ll snack on berries too. Honestly, they’re not that picky if food’s running low.
Breeding and Nesting
These birds stick with one mate during the breeding season. The female picks a shaded branch way up in the canopy – sometimes 50 feet or higher – and builds a shallow cup-shaped nest.
She uses grasses, twigs, and rootlets for the nest. A typical clutch has three to five bluish-green eggs with dark speckles.
The female incubates the eggs for about two weeks. After the chicks hatch, both parents pitch in to feed them.
The male sometimes brings food right to the nest or feeds the chicks himself. Young birds usually leave the nest within two weeks.
Vocalizations
You’ll probably hear a scarlet tanager before you spot one. Both males and females sing, which isn’t that common among songbirds.
The male’s song is louder and longer, sort of like a robin’s but with a rougher edge. They use calls to signal alarm or just keep in touch while foraging.
Comparison with Similar Species
| Species | Male Plumage | Female Plumage | Wing/Tail Color | Range in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Tanager | Bright red | Olive-green | Black | Eastern U.S., S. Canada |
| Summer Tanager | All red | Yellow-green | Red | Southeast, Central U.S. |
| Western Tanager | Red head, yellow body | Yellow with gray wings | Black | Western U.S. |
This table should help if you’re trying to tell scarlet tanagers apart from other red or partly red songbirds in North America. It’s easy to get them mixed up at a glance.
Behavior and Habitat Use
During migration, scarlet tanagers might pop up in parks, gardens, or open woods while they rest and refuel. Still, they mostly stick to big, unbroken forest areas.
Fragmented habitats put them at greater risk from predators and parasitic birds. They usually stay up in the canopy, making them tricky to spot even with those bright feathers.
This high-up behavior keeps them away from ground predators and gives them plenty of insects to eat. You’ll need some patience if you want to catch a glimpse.
Ecological Role
Scarlet tanagers help keep insect populations in check by eating lots of different arthropods. When they eat berries, they also help spread seeds around.
Seeing scarlet tanagers can be a sign that you’re in a healthy, mature forest. That’s always encouraging, isn’t it?
Population and Conservation Notes
While the overall population size seems stable in most places, local numbers sometimes drop due to logging, forest clearing, or urban sprawl. Protecting large forested areas really matters for their breeding and survival.
If you get to know their calls and track their seasonal movements, you’ll have a better shot at spotting these bold red birds when they’re around. Good luck out there.
