# Scarlet Tanager (*Piranga olivacea*) The Scarlet Tanager is a bright red bird with black wings and a cheerful song. They love to eat insects and fruits, making them fun to spot in the trees during summer! - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 31 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Scarlet Tanager](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Female_Scarlet_Tanager_%287467759938%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: CheepShot, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Female_Scarlet_Tanager_%287467759938%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Scarlet Tanager male is strikingly bright scarlet red with jet-black wings and tail, making it easy to spot against green leaves. Females are yellowish-green with dusky wings, blending better into the forest. It differs from other red birds by its unique combination of brilliant red body and distinct black wings. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Cardinalidae - **Genus:** Piranga ## Interesting facts - Male tanagers lose their vibrant red feathers in autumn, becoming greenish-yellow like the females! - Their unique song is often described as sounding like a 'robin with a sore throat,' a distinctive whistle. - They journey from North America to South America every year, flying over 3,000 miles! - Unlike many birds, Scarlet Tanagers have special enzymes to digest the fuzzy skin of toxic caterpillars! ## Special abilities - **Global Traveler:** Scarlet Tanager can migrate thousands of kilometers because it has amazing endurance, flying all the way to South America each year. - **Color Changer:** Scarlet Tanager has bright red feathers that change to dull greenish-yellow in autumn, helping it blend in while molting. - **Caterpillar Cruncher:** Scarlet Tanager can safely eat hairy caterpillars that many other birds avoid, thanks to its specialized foraging skills. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 16-19 cm - **Wingspan:** 25-29 cm - **Weight:** 0.023-0.038 kg - **Lifespan:** 6-11 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-5 - **Incubation:** 13-14 days - **Migration Distance:** 6000 km ## Diet & Feeding Tiny bugs and juicy berries are the Scarlet Tanager's favorite foods! - **Primary Foods:** insects, spiders, beetles, moths, wild berries, small fruits - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — A swift forest hunter that preys on many songbirds. - **Eaten by:** Eastern Ratsnake (*Pantherophis obsoletus*) — Climbs trees to raid nests for eggs and chicks. - **Depends on:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — Provides numerous insects like caterpillars for food. - **Eats:** [Black Cherry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-cherry) (*Prunus serotina*) — Consumes its ripe, dark fruits during late summer migration. - **Parasitizes:** [Brown-headed Cowbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-headed-cowbird) (*Molothrus ater*) — Lays its eggs in tanager nests, making the tanagers raise its young. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy watching birds from a distance and do not disturb their nests. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Scarlet Tanager? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Scarlet Tanager? 16-19 cm ### What is Scarlet Tanager's wingspan? 25-29 cm ### How much does Scarlet Tanager weigh? 0.023-0.038 kg ### How long does Scarlet Tanager live? 6-11 years ### How fast can Scarlet Tanager move? 35 km/h ### What does Scarlet Tanager eat? Tiny bugs and juicy berries are the Scarlet Tanager's favorite foods! ### Where is Scarlet Tanager usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Awbury Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/awbury-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Devil's Kitchen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/devils-kitchen) — Michigan, US · Nature Reserve - [Downtown Quincy Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/downtown-quincy-historic-district) — Illinois, US · Historic District - [Four Corners](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/four-corners) — New Jersey, US · Neighborhood - [Frelinghuysen Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/frelinghuysen-arboretum) — New Jersey, US · Botanical Garden - [Hungry Mother State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hungry-mother-state-park) — Virginia, US · State Park [View all places to see Scarlet Tanager](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/scarlet-tanager) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Scarlet Tanager: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scarlet-tanager)