Summer Tanager

Piranga rubra

Explore this bird

Identification

Field notes

20 cm (8") Common. Southern United States Pine-oak forests, cottonwood and willows along streams, open woodlands, shade trees.

Male: all rosy-red year-round. No crest. Yellowish bill. Similar male Scarlet Tanager has black wings and tail. The first year males may be patchy red and green as they acquire their permanent red plumage.

Female: olive-green above, including wings and tail. Deep yellow below. Similar female Scarlet Tanager has darker wings and a smaller yellowish bill.

Song: Robin-like song; rapid "piki-tucki-tuck" or "pik-a-tuck" call.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

4 photos

Male - Nonaville, Tennessee, US - April 22, 2011

Credit: Syd Phillips

Credit: Jeff Whitlock

Male - Percha Dam State Park, Sierra Co., NM - May 2, 2008

Credit: J. N. Stuart

Male - Nonaville, Tennessee, US - May 1, 2011

Credit: Syd Phillips

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Summer Tanager

Credit: Larry Bond

Summer Tanager — The Rosy Redbird

Credit: Lang Elliott's Nature Channel

Where it lives

Distribution maps

Source legend · original intervals

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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence

Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.

Bird Advisor Identification rules 2 variants 4 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Summer Tanager (Male)

2 rules

Rule 1 16 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: Red, or pink · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1019-summer-tanager-male:1:1 Source: 1019 Summer Tanager (Male), row 1

Rule 2 16 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Male · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: Red, or pink · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
Were the SIDES STREAKED, SPOTTED or BARRED ?: No · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BELLY ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?: Light area between the bill and the eye · Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · Light area running up the side of the neck or head · Sideburn stripe running down beneath the eye · Dark area behind, under, through or around the eye · Ear "tufts" or horns · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Red, or pink · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:1019-summer-tanager-male:2:1 Source: 1019 Summer Tanager (Male), row 2

Summer Tanager (Female)

2 rules

Rule 1 13 criteria confidence 1

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northeastern Canada or United States · Northwestern Canada or United States

result:1020-summer-tanager-female:1:1 Source: 1020 Summer Tanager (Female), row 1

Rule 2 13 criteria confidence 5

What was the sex of the bird ?: Female · Unknown
Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?: No · Unknown
What colour were the WINGS ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and slender · Straight and thick · Conical and slender · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?: Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Sparrow-sized · Robin-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Songbird (ground or perching bird)
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer · Fall
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southeastern United States · Southwestern United States

result:1020-summer-tanager-female:2:1 Source: 1020 Summer Tanager (Female), row 2