Piranga flava
male
The Hepatic Tanager has colorful but rather uniform plumage. The sexes are dissimilar. Adult males are red overall, brightest on the crown, throat, and undertail, and with a gray tint to the ear coverts and back. Females of all ages, and immature males, are yellow overall, brightest on the crown, throat, and undertail, and with a gray tint to the ear coverts and back. Juveniles are similar to an adult female but with faint streaking on the back.
The Hepatic Tanager is present as a breeding species in southwest U.S.A. mainly from May to August. It spends the rest of the year in Mexico, where the species also breeds and is resident. It is not a particularly shy bird but can be hard to spot as its plumage colors blend in surprisingly well in dappled foliage.
female
male
FACT FILE
LENGTH 8 in (20 cm)
FOOD Invertebrates in spring and summer; fruits and berries at other times
HABITAT Upland pine and mixed forests
STATUS Locally common summer visitor
VOICE Song is a series of short musical, two-note whistles. Call is a soft tchuk
