# Summer Tanager (*Piranga rubra*) The Summer Tanager is a bright red bird that loves to sing! It can be found in warm places and enjoys eating insects and fruits. Its cheerful song makes it a favorite among bird watchers. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 30 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Red Tanager ![Summer Tanager](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Female_Summer_Tanager_%287093902581%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Mike's Birds, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Female_Summer_Tanager_%287093902581%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Summer Tanager is a medium-sized songbird, distinct for its males being entirely vibrant red, resembling a 'fire-bird'. Females are dull yellow-green with dusky wings, unlike the black wings of other red tanagers. Its stout, pale bill is also a distinguishing feature. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Passeriformes - **Family:** Cardinalidae - **Genus:** Piranga ## Interesting facts - Male Summer Tanagers get their vibrant red color from chemicals in the insects they eat! - Some tanagers travel thousands of miles, flying from Canada to South America each year! - Summer Tanagers are one of the few birds that regularly eat venomous stinging insects like wasps! - Their nests can be so thin, you might actually see the eggs right through the bottom! ## Special abilities - **Aerial Insect Hunter:** Summer Tanager can deftly snatch flying insects like bees and wasps right out of the air, helping them catch food on the wing. - **Stinger Scraper:** Summer Tanager can rub stinging insects against a branch to remove their venomous stingers, allowing them to eat safely. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 17-19 cm - **Wingspan:** 28-30 cm - **Weight:** 0.028-0.032 kg - **Lifespan:** 4-7 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-4 - **Incubation:** 11-12 days - **Migration Distance:** 3500 km ## Diet & Feeding These colorful birds mostly feast on flying insects, especially bees and wasps, but also enjoy some fruits. - **Primary Foods:** bees, wasps, beetles, grasshoppers, berries, fruits - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cooper's Hawk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cooper-s-hawk) (*Accipiter cooperii*) — Hunts adult tanagers in woodlands. - **Eats:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Captures and consumes these insects as a key food. - **Eaten by:** Common Garter Snake (*Thamnophis sirtalis*) — Preys on eggs and nestlings in their nests. - **Shelter:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — Frequently builds nests in the sturdy branches of these trees. ## 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. - [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 don't try to touch or catch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Summer 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 Summer Tanager? 17-19 cm ### What is Summer Tanager's wingspan? 28-30 cm ### How much does Summer Tanager weigh? 0.028-0.032 kg ### How long does Summer Tanager live? 4-7 years ### How fast can Summer Tanager move? 40 km/h ### What does Summer Tanager eat? These colorful birds mostly feast on flying insects, especially bees and wasps, but also enjoy some fruits. ### Where is Summer Tanager usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Boyce Thompson Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boyce-thompson-arboretum) — Arizona, US · Botanical Garden - [Cabrillo National Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cabrillo-national-monument) — California, US · National Park - [Devil's Kitchen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/devils-kitchen) — Michigan, US · Nature Reserve - [Grist Mill Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grist-mill-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Kal-Haven Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kal-haven-trail) — Michigan, US · Trail - [Kirk Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kirk-park) — Virginia, US · Park [View all places to see Summer Tanager](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/summer-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: [Summer Tanager: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/summer-tanager)