Summer Tanager

Their breeding habitat is open wooded areas, especially with oaks, across the southern United States. These birds migrate to Mexico, Central America and northern South America. This tanager is an extremely rare vagrant to western Europe.

The Summer 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 Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra, 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. Their breeding habitat is open wooded areas, especially with oaks, across the southern United States. These birds migrate to Mexico, Central America and northern South America. More

The Summer Tanager adult male is one of North America More

The Summer Tanager is a medium-sized songbird that may be a relative to cardinals. Their preferred breeding habitats include open but wooded areas, including oak forests throughout the United States. During winter months, the Summer Tanager migrates south to Mexico, Central America and northern South America. This bird is rarely seen in Western Europe as well. Food is foraged high in the trees, and insects are also caught in-flight. Diets may also include bees, wasps and berries. More

In addition to their diet of bees and wasps, Summer Tanagers also eat fruits and berries, especially during the late breeding season, while migrating and while on their wintering grounds. These include items such as blackberries, blueberries, whortleberries, mulberries, pokeweed, citrus, plantains and bananas. Weighing an average of 30 g and reaching lengths of 17 cm, the Summer Tanager is rather large in comparison to other tanagers. Their light brown bills are pointed, and fairly stout. More

Also known in Tennessee as the "summer redbird," the Summer Tanager is one of the most striking birds that nests in the state. It is a bit difficult to see, however, because it prefers to forage high in the tree canopy. The song of the Summer Tanager can be confused with the song of the Scarlet Tanager, but their picky-tucky-tuck call is unique. More

● Foraging & Feeding: Summer Tanager: Feeds mainly on insects, including bees, wasps, caterpillars, grasshoppers, dragonflies, beetles, and cicadas. Forages in the tops of trees by gleaning from twigs and leaves; occasionally hovers at leaf clusters. ● Breeding & nesting: Summer Tanager: Three to five brown marked, light blue or green eggs are laid in a nest made of grass, stems, and moss, lined with fine grass, and built 10 to 35 feet above the ground on a horizontal limb of an oak or pine. More

The only entirely red bird in North America, the Summer Tanager is a bird of southern forests. It specializes in eating bees and wasps, both in the summer and on its wintering grounds in Central and South America. More

The Summer Tanager has an American Robin-like song, similar enough that novices sometimes mistake this bird for that species. The song consists of melodic units, repeated in a constant stream. The Summer Tanager's song, however, is much more monotonous than that of T. migratorius, often consisting of as few as 3 or 4 distinct units. It is clearer and less nasal than the song of the Scarlet Tanager. The Summer Tanager also has a sharp, agitated-sounded call pi-tuk or pik-i-tuk-i-tuk. More

) The summer tanager also has a pale yellowish-colored bill, unlike the reddish-colored beak of the cardinal. The female has olive green upperparts with yellow underparts. The summer tanager's soft chick-tucky-tuck song (similar to that of the American robin's) is probably heard more frequently than the bird is seen. The male sings constantly all day during the breeding season; however its favorite habitat is in a dense wooded area where it is hard to spot, despite its brilliant red color. More

Summer TanagerThe Summer Tanagers (Piranga rubra) were formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), but they are not categorized as cardinals (Cardinalidae). Description They are medium-sized birds; they measure approximately 17 cm or 6.7 inches long and weigh an average of 30 g or ~ 1.1 oz. Its plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family. Adults have stout pointed bills. More

Summer Tanagers on the Kern by Terri Gallion Hummingbird Identification Rivers of Birds - Wildlife of the Kern River Preserve Summer Tanager Piranga rubra Description: Length: 6-7 More

Summer Tanager is a bulky bird. DIET: Summer Tanager is mainly insectivorous, feeding on flying and terrestrial insects, such as beetles, dragonflies, grasshoppers, ants, caterpillars. It also feeds on spiders, and may consume fruit and berries. But during summer, Summer Tanager feeds mainly on bees and wasps, adults and larvae. PROTECTION / THREATS / STATUS: Summer Tanager populations are stable. More

The diet of Summer Tanagers is primarily insectivorous, although some small fruits such as blueberries or blackberries are also eaten. A large proportion of the insects Summer Tanagers eat consists of bees and wasps, sometimes so many that the Tanagers can become a nuisance to apiarists. Paper wasp nests hanging under the eaves of houses are often destroyed by Tanagers seeking the larvae. More

During their first year, male summer tanagers can have this mottled appearance with head and breast splashed with red, yellow and olive-colored feathers. © Daniel Jackson During their first year, male summer tanagers can have this mottled appearance with head and breast splashed with red, yellow and olive-colored feathers. More