Scarlet Tanager

Piranga olivacea

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyCardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
GenusPiranga (Piranga Tanagers)
SpeciesPiranga olivacea (Scarlet Tanager)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Joshua Tree National Park

1 Verified sightings at Joshua Tree National Park From 2019 to 2026

14,390 Verified sightings across all 74 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Scarlet Tanager

The scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea) is a medium-sized American songbird in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). Until 2009, it was placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), but it and other members of its genus have since been classified as belonging to the cardinal family. Breeding males have bright red plumage with black wings and tails, while females are yellow-olive. Outside the breeding season, males develop plumage similar to that of females, although their wings and tails remain darker.

The species breeds mainly in large deciduous forests in eastern North America. It migrates through Central America to spend the winter in forests along the Andean foothills of northwestern South America. Scarlet tanagers feed mainly on insects, but they also eat fruit when it is available. Habitat fragmentation can increase nest predation and brood parasitism, and populations are declining in some areas. However, the species is classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The genus name Piranga is from Tupi Tijepiranga, the name for an unknown small bird, and the specific olivacea is from Neo-Latin olivaceus, "olive-green". Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Joshua Tree National Park

Piranga ludoviciana

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Piranga rubra

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cardinalis sinuatus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Passerina cyanea

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Pheucticus melanocephalus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Passerina amoena

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Passerina caerulea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pheucticus ludovicianus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Spiza americana

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Passerina ciris

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Corvus corax

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Haemorhous mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	~30%
2	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
3	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
4	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
5	Madidi National Park	🇧🇴 Bolivia	~10%
6	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
7	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
8	Isla del Coco National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
9	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~10%
10	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
11	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
12	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
13	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
14	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
15	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
16	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
17	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	<5%
18	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
19	Cordillera Azul National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
20	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
21	Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
22	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
23	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
24	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
25	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
26	Manu National Park	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
27	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
28	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
29	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
30	Puracé National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
31	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
32	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
33	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
34	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	<5%
35	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
36	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
37	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
38	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
39	Tambopata National Reserve	🇵🇪 Peru	<5%
40	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
41	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	<5%
42	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	<5%
43	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
44	Podocarpus National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
45	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
46	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
47	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
48	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	<5%
49	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
50	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
51	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
52	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
53	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	<5%
54	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
55	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
56	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
57	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
58	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	Insufficient data
59	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
60	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	Insufficient data
61	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
62	Celaque National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
63	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	Insufficient data
64	Isle Royale National Park	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
65	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
66	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	Insufficient data
67	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	Insufficient data
68	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
69	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	Insufficient data
70	Cape Breton Highlands National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	Insufficient data
71	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data
72	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	Insufficient data
73	Amacayacu National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	Insufficient data
74	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Insufficient data

← Back to Joshua Tree National Park

Scarlet Tanager

About the Scarlet Tanager

Recent sightings of Scarlet Tanager in Joshua Tree National Park

Closest Relatives at Joshua Tree National Park

Western Tanager

Summer Tanager

Pyrrhuloxia

Indigo Bunting

Black-headed Grosbeak

Lazuli Bunting

Blue Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Dickcissel

Painted Bunting

Common Raven

House Finch

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found