Scarlet Tanager Species Spotlight: 10 Interesting Facts!

Today, I want to introduce you to the Scarlet Tanager.

Many people find it surprising that these BEAUTIFUL birds spend their summers breeding in North America. Once the weather starts to turn cooler, they migrate thousands of miles to Central and South America to spend the winter.

During these winter months, Scarlet Tanagers commonly live on or near coffee farms that practice sustainable growing methods. They can be found flitting around in the shade trees above the coffee plants, eating both insects and fruit.

Here are TEN fun facts about these gorgeous birds:

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#1. Scarlet Tanagers can be hard to spot.

Even though they are quite common, Scarlet Tangers are rarely seen, unless you know where to look. That’s because they spend their time high in the canopy of mature forests.

They are found across the entire eastern half of North America during the breeding season and in Central and South America in winter.

To find one, it’s highly recommended to take some binoculars and then be prepared to spend lots of time pointing them upwards. Just a warning that looking for Scarlet Tanagers has given me a neckache on more than one occasion. 🙂

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#2. You won’t see a Scarlet Tanager at your bird feeder.

Unfortunately, these gorgeous birds won’t ever join the other birds at your feeding station.

That’s because Scarlet Tanagers don’t eat seeds, nuts, or grains, which are the main foods offered at most bird feeders.

Scarlet Tanagers eat mainly insects and other invertebrates. They aren’t picky and have no problem consuming almost anything they can find high in the canopy. When they do come to the ground, it’s to look through leaf litter for a snack.

They also supplement their diet with fresh fruit.

In fact, one of the only ways of attracting Scarlet Tanagers to your yard is with fruit plants. Their favorite foods include blackberries, raspberries, huckleberries, serviceberries, mulberries, strawberries, and chokeberries. If your house is located in or near a forest of mature deciduous trees, you may have a shot!

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#3. They have a distinctive song and call.

Because they can be hard to see, one of the best ways to find a Scarlet Tanager is to use your ears.

During the breeding season, males are commonly heard singing in mature deciduous forests. Their song sounds similar to an American Robin who has a sore throat.

But the most distinctive sound to listen for is their energetic “chick-burr” call, given by both males and females. Personally, hearing “chick-burr” in the forest is how I am able to figure out if a Scarlet Tanager is near!

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#4. Males are one of the most beautiful birds around!

Male Scarlet Tanagers have a striking appearance with a vibrant red body, jet-black wings, and tail.

Females are olive-yellow with darker wings. I think they have a subtle beauty.

Interestingly, the males’ red plumage only lasts for a few months during the breeding season. As they begin their migration to the tropics, their feathers become yellow-green and look similar to females.

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#5. They have no natural defense against the Brown-headed Cowbird.

Brood parasitism is a reproductive strategy used by certain bird species, such as the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater), to outsource the care of their young. Instead of building their own nests, cowbirds lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, like the Scarlet Tanager.

If a pair of tanagers notices a cowbird approaching, they aggressively drive her away. But if they don’t notice, the cowbird gets rid of a tanager egg and replaces it with one of her own. Unfortunately, the tanagers can’t tell the difference.

Instead of devoting all their energy and resources to raising their own chicks, Scarlet Tanagers have to provide for the young Brown-headed Cowbird, which grow faster and are more demanding. Unfortunately, the tanager chicks may starve because their parents can’t keep up with the feeding demands.

Due to forest fragmentation, Scarlet Tanagers have become more exposed to the detrimental effects of brood parasitism from Brown-headed Cowbirds. Tanagers do best in large, unbroken tracts of mature deciduous forest.

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#6. Tanager nests also face threats from predators.

Unfortunately, studies have shown that over 50% of nests are preyed upon. Common predators include Blue Jays, Common Grackles, American Crows, snakes, squirrels, raccoons, and domestic cats.

Predation increases the closer the nest is to the forest’s edge. Scarlet Tanagers have the most breeding success the farther into the woods the nest is located.

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#7. New research shows they aren’t really tanagers.

I found this incredibly surprising. Recent research has shown that instead of being in the tanager family (Thraupidae), Scarlet Tanagers belong in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae).

The biggest difference is their beaks. Scarlet Tanagers lack the thick conical beak that Northern Cardinals require for eating seeds and nuts. Instead, the beak of the Scarlet Tanager is adapted to eat insects.

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#8. Eating bees, wasps, and hornets is no problem!

Scarlet Tangers love eating flying insects, and ones that sting are no exception.

To avoid getting stung by bees, wasps, and hornets, they rake them against a branch to remove the stinger before consuming them.

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#9. Scarlet Tanagers were my “spark bird.”

A spark bird is a term used by birders to describe the bird species that ignites or deepens their interest in birdwatching or ornithology. It’s often the first bird that captures someone’s attention in a meaningful way, sparking a lifelong fascination with birds and the natural world.

For me, this bird was the Scarlet Tanager.

In my early twenties, I was gifted a field guide to the birds that lived in my area, which also included a CD of audio recordings of songs and calls.

When I found a picture of a Scalet Tanager, I could hardly believe that this bird existed in Ohio. So I memorized the sounds and headed off into the forest, praying that I could find one.

I will never forget when I heard the distinctive “chick-burr” of a Scarlet Tanager. I could barely believe my eyes when I looked up and saw the bright red of a male singing from a high-up branch!

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#10. Scarlet Tanagers benefit from coffee that has been certified as Bird Friendly!

Scarlet Tanagers, like many migratory birds, depend on tropical forests in Central and South America for survival during the winter months. Unfortunately, these critical habitats are increasingly threatened by deforestation, often driven by agricultural practices such as sun-grown coffee farming, which replaces forests with open plantations.

• Check out my favorite Bird Friendly coffee and get 10% off.

Shade-grown coffee, on the other hand, is cultivated beneath a canopy of native trees, preserving the layered structure of the forest and maintaining vital ecosystems. This traditional method of farming allows Scarlet Tanagers and other migratory birds to find food, shelter, and safe resting places during their stay in the tropics.

Certifications like Smithsonian’s Bird Friendly ensure that coffee is grown in a way that supports biodiversity by protecting habitats for a wide variety of bird species, including Scarlet Tanagers. Choosing Bird Friendly coffee not only helps conserve forests but also provides a sustainable livelihood for coffee farmers.