Piranga olivacea
male
A breeding male Scarlet Tanager is one of North America’s most stunningly colorful songbirds. The sexes are dissimilar. Summer adult males have bright red body plumage with a black tail and wings. The bill color ranges from pink to gray. Adult males in fall, and immature males, resemble a breeding male but red elements of the plumage are greenish yellow. At all times, females have greenish-yellow plumage with a dark tail and wings (not quite as dark as in a fall male).
The Scarlet Tanager is present as a breeding species in eastern North America mainly from May to August. It spends the rest of the year in South America. Despite its colorful plumage the species can be hard to spot among dappled tree foliage, so listen for its song to detect its presence.
female
male
FACT FILE
LENGTH 7 in (18 cm)
FOOD Invertebrates, fruits, and berries
HABITAT Deciduous woodland
STATUS Widespread and common summer visitor
VOICE Song is a series whistled phrases whose tone recalls that of an American Robin. Call is a sharp tchh-brrr
