Scarlet Tanager

The Scarlet Tanager is a striking medium-sized bird. Adult males in breeding season display brilliant scarlet-red bodies contrasted by black wings and tail. Their bill is whitish or pale.

Females are olive-green above with yellowish-olive underparts, and have duller brownish-olive wings and tail. They show a subtle yellow "spectacled" appearance around their eyes.

During fall and winter (non-breeding season), adult males molt to an olive-green plumage similar to females but retain their black wings and tail.

The Scarlet Tanager's song is a series of burry warbles, often described as sounding like a robin with a sore throat. Their distinctive call is a sharp 'chip-burr' or 'chick-bree'.

During territorial disputes, males may produce a softer 'tuk-tuk-tuk' sound.

• Listen for their distinctive 'chick-burr' call to locate them in dense foliage
• Look for flashes of red high in deciduous forest canopies
• Visit eastern US forests during spring migration for the best viewing opportunities
• Observe fruit-bearing trees in fall, where they may feed before migration

Scarlet Tanagers primarily feed on insects, including caterpillars, beetles, wasps, and flies. They glean these from leaves and branches in the forest canopy.

During migration and in winter, they supplement their diet with fruits and berries, particularly when insect availability is low.

Breeding occurs from late spring to early summer. Males arrive at breeding grounds first, establishing territories and attracting females with their bright plumage and songs.

Females construct shallow, saucer-shaped nests on horizontal tree branches, usually 20-30 feet high. The nest is made of twigs, grass, and bark, lined with fine rootlets. They typically lay 3-5 pale blue-green eggs with brown speckles.

Incubation lasts about 13-14 days, primarily done by the female. Both parents feed the nestlings, which fledge after 9-11 days but remain dependent on the adults for several more weeks.

Scarlet Tanagers are often heard before they're seen, as they tend to forage high in the forest canopy. They hop along branches, searching for insects.

During the breeding season, males become territorial and engage in aerial chases to defend their areas.

While currently listed as Least Concern, Scarlet Tanagers face threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and forest fragmentation. Climate change may also impact their breeding habitats and migration patterns.

Conservation efforts focus on protecting large tracts of mature deciduous forests.