Western Tanager
Piranga ludoviciana
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyCardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
- GenusPiranga (Piranga Tanagers)
- SpeciesPiranga ludoviciana (Western Tanager)
About the Western Tanager
The western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), it and other members of its genus are classified in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). The species' plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.
The western tanager was illustrated and formally described by American ornithologist Alexander Wilson in 1811 under the binomial name Tanagra ludoviciana from a specimen collected on the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806). The type locality is Kamiah, Idaho. The specific epithet is from the Late Latin ludovicianus for "Louis". The name is from Louisiana, the 18th-century French administrative district of New France, rather than the modern state. The western tanager is now placed in the genus Piranga that was introduced by French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1808. The species is monotypic; no subspecies are recognized.
Measurements: Length: 6.3–7.5 in (16–19 cm) Weight: 0.8–1.3 oz (24–36 g) Wingspan: 11.5 in (29 cm) Adults have pale, stout pointed bills, yellow underparts, and light wing bars. Adult males have a bright red face and... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Cabo Pulmo National Park
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Pyrrhuloxia
Cardinalis sinuatus
Black-headed Grosbeak
Pheucticus melanocephalus
Lazuli Bunting
Passerina amoena
Varied Bunting
Passerina versicolor
Dickcissel
Spiza americana
Verdin
Auriparus flaviceps
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens
California Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma californica
Cactus Wren
Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Hooded Oriole
Icterus cucullatus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Western Tanager in Cabo Pulmo National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Tanager sighting in Cabo Pulmo National Park, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Western Tanager in Cabo Pulmo National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Western Tanager in Cabo Pulmo National Park in our monthly data.