Western Tanager
Piranga ludoviciana
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
- 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 →
Recent sightings of Western Tanager in Santa Rosa National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Santa Rosa National Park
Summer Tanager
Piranga rubra
Scarlet Tanager
Piranga olivacea
Painted Bunting
Passerina ciris
Blue Grosbeak
Passerina caerulea
Dickcissel
Spiza americana
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea
Banded Wren
Thryophilus pleurostictus
Great Kiskadee
Pitangus sulphuratus
Rufous-backed Wren
Campylorhynchus capistratus
Rufous-capped Warbler
Basileuterus rufifrons
White-Throated Magpie-Jay
Calocitta formosa
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Western Tanager in Santa Rosa National Park?
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Western Tanager sighting in Santa Rosa National Park, based on 134 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Western Tanager in Santa Rosa National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for Western Tanager in Santa Rosa National Park in our monthly data.