Scarlet Tanager

The Scarlet Tanager is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family , it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family . The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.

The Scarlet Tanager is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family. More

* Scarlet Tanager, In Shrub * Scarlet Tanager, In Bare Tree Global Rank: G5 State Rank: SNA Agency Status USFWS: none USFS: none BLM: none FWP Conservation Tier: 4 PIF: none General DescriptionIn the spring and early summer, the male is scarlet, with black wings and tail. More

The Scarlet Tanager has a large range, estimated globally at 2,600,000 square kilometers. Native to the Americas and nearby island nations, this bird prefers temperate, subtropical, or tropical forest ecosystems. The global population of this bird is estimated at 2,200,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Scarlet Tanager is Least Concern. More

The male Scarlet Tanager is one of the most brilliantly colored birds nesting in Tennessee. Nevertheless, he can be overlooked because of his unobtrusive behavior and preference for the forest canopy. The song of the Scarlet Tanager is reminiscent of a hoarse American Robin, and is similar to the song of the Summer Tanager, but the chik-burr call-note is distinctive. More

A striking black-winged red bird, the Scarlet Tanager is a common species of the eastern forest interior. Despite its brilliant coloring it is often overlooked because of its rather secretive behavior and its preference for the forest canopy. More

* The scarlet tanager appears in the episode "Lost Verizon" of the animated television series The Simpsons. In the episode, Bart Simpson puts a GPS microchip on a scarlet tanager which flies to Machu Picchu, and the Simpsons follow. More

Scarlet TanagerThe Scarlet Tanager is only 7-inches long but its plumage, especially that of its adult male, is very attractive and unmistakable. Bright scarlet head and body with black wings and tail, youd think it would be so easy to see these songbirds in their quest for food. This is not the case though as this particular species of birds like to look for food high in the tree canopy where they are hidden by the dense foliage. More

Aspects of the topic scarlet tanager are discussed in the following places at Britannica. Assorted References * description (in tanager (bird)) The three species of tanagers breeding in temperate North America are the scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea), summer tanager (P. rubra), and western tanager (P. ludoviciana). A less showy bird, the hepatic tanager (P. flava), has a greater breeding range:... More

If you've ever seen a Scarlet Tanager in full sun, you will know why this bird is called the "flame of spring." The male's robin-like song is a series of burry, whistled phrases sounding like "zureet, zeeyer, zeero, zeery." Usually, there are long pauses between songs. The tanager's performance is often likened to that of a "robin with a sore throat," referring to the throaty quality of the song. The tanager's primary call sounds like "chick-breee. More

Male Scarlet Tanager in breeding plumage. By William Paff, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. www.birds.cornell.edu/ Male Scarlet Tanager in breeding plumage. By William Paff, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. More

Scarlet Tanager adults are hunted by birds of prey. Eggs and nestlings are eaten by blue jays, grackles, American crows, squirrels, chipmunks and snakes. Fragmentation of North American forests has been linked to the decline of some species of migratory birds. Studies are in progress about this subject. Scarlet tanager is very sensitive to this fragmentation. More

Scarlet Tanagers are unusual among the 230 species of the Neotropical tanager family because they have seasonal changes in plumage. Only one other tanager, a South American species, does this. Each fall, the male changes his striking breeding plumage of scarlet and black for an olive green color that is similar to the plumage of the female Scarlet Tanager. More

The bill of the Scarlet Tanager has a distinct tooth-like structure on the cutting edge of the upper mandible. This enables the bird to eat the fruits and arillate seeds that make up its diet (Stiles and Skutch 1989). These birds are commonly found in summer months in dense deciduous forests of oak, tulip trees, hickory, ash and pine, and in wooded residential areas and parks. More

The Scarlet Tanager measures 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 inches in length. Breeding males are a brilliant red with black wings and a black tail. Female birds are yellowish below and greenish above. The wings are a grayish brown. Beginning at the end of July or early August, the male bird molts from his bright red and black alternate plumage to a drab, female-like basic plumage. Individual birds show varying degrees of red splotches until molting is complete. More