Summer Tanager

One of my favorite early migrants is the Summer Tanager. This brightly colored bird is considered part of the Cardinal family with other local Tanagers like the Scarlet Tanager and Western Tanager. 

The Summer Tanager is the only all red bird of North America, with the males being a raspberry red color and females a mustard green/yellow color. Immature males are especially fun to see as they transition to their red plumage, they usually are a streaky yellow and orange/red color. 

Female Summer Tanager picture courtesy Don Danko and All About Birds

Immature male Summer Tanager picture courtesy of Louis Bevier and All About Birds

Summer Tanagers can be found throughout most of the Southeast United States during the summer months. They summer in Central America to northern South America.

Range map courtesy of All About Birds

These Tanagers prefer open woodland habitat to breed and raise their young. They prefer to feed on insects, mainly bees, wasps, spiders and such but these beautiful birds can also be enticed to visit a backyard feeder if fruits like oranges and grape jelly are offered. They are known to wipe bees on tree branches before they eat them to remove any stingers. 

Summer Tanagers typically nest in cup style nests. The female builds the nest but the male may accompany her while she is building. They can have between 1 and 2 broods of 3-4 eggs each year and the eggs are pale blue to pale green in color with brown markings. 

Summer Tanager nest and egg pictures courtesy of Birds of the World

The Summer Tanager calls are typically described as a harsh "pit-ti-tuck" sound. The male's song is a series of slurred whistles that can sound very similar to the American Robin's Cheerio song.

Summer Tanager song courtesy of Navarre's Wild Shots

I typically start to see/hear Summer Tanagers in Missouri around the end of April. On occasion I have had them visit my feeder with Orioles feeding on grape jelly, but I am more likely to hear them in larger wooded areas at parks. The few times I am lucky enough to see them in my yard, I am more than likely without a camera. But I was able to catch one molting male, once.

Thanks for checking out Summer Tanagers! Next time in the sunny months, swing by your park, keep your ears peeled for their chirps, or serve up a smidgen of grape jelly at your feeder and watch the party flock in.