Bird Gallery Index

Scarlet Tanager (adult male) image © Joanne Kamo

Family: (Cardinalidae) Cardinals and Allies

Preferred Habitat: Canopy of mature woodlands

Seasonal Occurrence: Common in spring, occasional in fall

Notes: Female olive green to yellow. Immatures resemble females. First spring male is lighter red or orange rather than brilliant scarlet. In early fall, males may take on a mixture of green and red feathers as they molt to olive green for the winter. Scarlet Tanagers may be difficult to spot despite their brilliant coloring, as they often like to perch motionless high up in the canopy of trees. Some say the call sounds like a robin with a sore throat.
- Susan Billetdeaux

Scarlet Tanager (female) image © David McDonald