Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 6.3–6.7 in
16–17 cm - Wingspan
- 9.8–11.4 in
25–29 cm - Weight
- 0.8–1.3 oz
23–38 g
Other Names
- Tangara écarlate (French)
- Tángara escarlata (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- On the wintering grounds in South America the Scarlet Tanager joins mixed species foraging flocks with flycatchers, antbirds, woodcreepers, and resident tropical tanagers.
- The female Scarlet Tanager sings a song similar to the male's, but softer, shorter, and less harsh. She sings in answer to the male's song and while she is gathering nesting material.
- The response of the Scarlet Tanager to habitat fragmentation varies from place to place. In the heart of its range in the Northeast, it can be found in small forest patches. In the Midwest, similar sized forest patches would have no tanagers. These conclusions are based on Project Tanager at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology; more information can be found here and here.
Habitat
Forest
- Breeds in deciduous and mixed deciduous/coniferous woodlands, especially mature forests.
- Occasionally in suburban areas with large trees.
- Winters in montane evergreen forests.
Food
Insects
Insects and spiders, some earthworms, buds, and fruits.
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Clutch Size
- 1–6 eggs
- Egg Description
- Color: Greenish blue to light blue, finely speckled with reddish.
Size: 19.8-26.9 mm x 15.2-17.8 mm
(0.8-1.1 in x 0.6-0.7 in)
Incubation period: 13-14 days. - Condition at Hatching
- Helpless with small tufts of down on head and back.
Chicks fledge in 9-11 days.
Nest Description
Nest a flimsy, shallow open cup of twigs, grasses, bark strips, and rootlets, lined with grass or fine plant fibers. Placed among a cluster of leaves in a deciduous tree, occasionally conifer, 6 - 9 m (20 - 30 ft) above ground (1.8 - 23 m ; 6 - 75 ft possible). The nest is placed on a horizontal limb, well out from the trunk usually more than half of the branch's length. The nest is usually built at the junction of two or more smaller branches with the main horizontal branch. Almost all Scarlet Tanager nests have four characteristics in common: nests are placed (1) in a leaf cluster, or at least with several leaves shading the nest, (2) on a nearly horizontal branch, (3) with a clear, unobstructed view to the ground below, (4) with clear open flyways from adjacent trees to the nest.
Nest Placement
Tree
© 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology
© 2004 Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Behavior
Foliage Gleaner
Captures insects by gleaning and grabbing them while hovering; will hawk flying insects. Beats prey against branch to kill it.
Conservation
Least Concern
Sensitive to forest fragmentation in parts of its range.
Credits
- Mowbray, T. 1999. Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea). In The Birds of North America, No. 479 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.