Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...
A photo of a Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea), male
Scarlet Tanager, Male

Scarlet Tanager

Piranga olivacea

The Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) is a medium-sized songbird of striking appearance. The male is adorned in a vibrant crimson-red with contrasting black wings and tail, while the female is clothed in more subdued yellow-olive plumage with similarly toned wings and tail. These birds exhibit sexual dimorphism, with males undergoing a transformation to a duller plumage outside of the breeding season, resembling the females but retaining darker wings and tail.

Identification Tips

Adult males are unmistakable with their bright red bodies and black wings and tail. Females and non-breeding males can be identified by their pale, horn-colored bills and yellowish underparts with olive upperparts. Juvenile males may show a patchwork of red and olive before acquiring their adult plumage.

Habitat

Scarlet Tanagers favor large expanses of deciduous forests, particularly those dominated by oak trees. They can also adapt to younger woodlands and suburban areas with ample tree cover.

Distribution

These birds breed across the eastern parts of North America and migrate to the northwestern regions of South America, with a passage through Central America. They are rare vagrants to Western Europe.

Behaviour

Scarlet Tanagers are often elusive, foraging high in the treetops. They employ a "sallying" technique to catch insects in flight, returning to the same perch. They may also forage on the forest floor and are known to consume fruit, especially when insects are scarce.

Song & Calls

The male's song is reminiscent of an American robin's but hoarser. Their call is a distinctive chip-burr or chip-churr, setting them apart from similar species.

Breeding

Males arrive at the breeding grounds from mid-May, with females following shortly after. Nest building and egg laying occur rapidly, with clutches typically consisting of four light blue eggs. Incubation lasts 11 to 14 days, and fledglings leave the nest 9 to 12 days after hatching.

Similar Species

The Summer Tanager and Western Tanager may be confused with the Scarlet Tanager. However, the Summer Tanager is more brownish, and the Western Tanager has bold white wing bars and a more yellowish underside.

Diet and Feeding

Scarlet Tanagers primarily feed on insects, including bees, wasps, and beetles, and will consume a variety of fruits such as blackberries and mulberries when insects are less available.

Conservation Status

Despite local declines due to habitat fragmentation, the Scarlet Tanager is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, thanks to its overall plentiful numbers. However, they are sensitive to forest fragmentation, which increases their exposure to predators and brood parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Scarlet Tanagers on Birda

Photos
Sightings

More Cardinals & Allies

Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Viperray5
Loving it
I really enjoy being able to interact with other birders on this platform! This seems like a great way to meet other birders and find some new spots.
Unbridled Discoveries
Great app for bird lovers
I love this app! It’s a wonderful way to track birding sessions, and also connect you with fellow birders. I also really like the unidentified bird section, it’s a great community tool to help figure out what a never-before-seen bird is!
Birdafan
Ideal Birdwatch Companion
Simply adds to the enjoyment of my birdwatching and helps me record what I’ve seen.
Tralisalandhoop
Fantastic app - Love it!
Love this app and have used it almost daily. Lots of species information and easy to use. Love seeing birds spotted by other users in the UK and worldwide.
David C
Very knowledgeable group
Nice friendly birding community. Very knowledgeable group with a willingness to help.
Jake W
Great app
I use this app all the time as it’s quick and easy to log individual sightings or whole birding sessions. It’s an excellent way to meet new people and the forum is full of really friendly people. The challenges are a great way to get involved and learn more about birds. Cannot recommend it enough!
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
Anonymous
The best bird logging app
Birda is honestly the best bird logging app I have seen. I love all the features it has from being able to do a session and log all the birds you see in one sitting, to being able to connect with other birders from all over the globe!
Foxgirl100
Great app for beginner twitchers
I’ve had a passion of photographing birds for a long time now but have only just gotten into proper birdwatching, and this app is brilliant for those just getting started. There is a great sense of community among users and the app is very easy to use and professional. Awesome app altogether
Ellesse_W
Learning Birding with Birda
I’m relatively new to birding as a hobby, and Birda is a great way to keep track off all the species I see. I’m still working on my ID skills, but the app is great for figuring out potential species, and the online community is so friendly and helpful. Definitely recommend Birda to both early and serious birders! 🐦
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.