The scarlet tanager is a medium-sized American songbird. Until recently, it was placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), but it and other members of its genus are now classified as belonging to the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). The species' plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family, although the Piranga species lacks the thick conical bill that many cardinals possess. The species resides in thick deciduous woodlands and suburbs.
Region
Eastern North America and Northern South America
Typical Environment
Breeds in mature deciduous and mixed forests across eastern North America, from the Great Plains eastward through the Great Lakes and New England, and into southern Canada. During migration it uses forest edges, parks, and suburban shade trees. In winter it occupies Andean foothill forests and adjacent lowland tropical forests from Colombia to Bolivia, also using second-growth and forest edges. The species forages primarily in the upper canopy, often remaining concealed among leaves.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 2400 m
Climate Zone
Other
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Breeding males are vivid scarlet with black wings and tail, while females and nonbreeding males are olive-yellow, making the species surprisingly hard to spot high in the canopy. Despite being moved from tanagers to the cardinal family, it lacks the thick conical bill of true cardinals. Its song is a hoarser, buzzier version of an American robin’s, and the call is a distinctive 'chip-burr'. Habitat loss and brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds can affect nesting success.
Adult female Scarlet Tanager, showcasing the yellow-olive plumage typical of the sex. Photographed in Ottawa, Ontario.
Male moulting to his duller feathers during autumn
Female eating a flowering dogwood fruit in New York
Stuffed scarlet tanager from 1860s, St. Barthélemy
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
direct flight with short rapid wingbeats
Social Behavior
Typically seen alone or in pairs during the breeding season, defending territories high in the canopy. Monogamous pairs build a shallow cup nest on horizontal branches; the female leads nest construction and incubation. Subject to brood parasitism by Brown-headed Cowbirds in fragmented habitats.
Migratory Pattern
Seasonal migrant
Song Description
Song is a series of burry, robin-like phrases delivered at a steady pace, with a distinctly rasping quality. Calls include a sharp 'chip' and a characteristic rough 'chip-burr' used in contact and alarm contexts.
