Scarlet Tanager
Piranga olivacea
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyCardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
- GenusPiranga (Piranga Tanagers)
- SpeciesPiranga olivacea (Scarlet Tanager)
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 →
Recent sightings of Scarlet Tanager in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
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Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Scarlet Tanager in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Scarlet Tanager sighting in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, based on 102 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Scarlet Tanager in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge?
October has the highest sighting rate for Scarlet Tanager in Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge in our monthly data.