Scarlet Tanager
Piranga olivacea
Conservation Status
Least ConcernAves · Passeriformes · Cardinalidae
About
The scarlet tanager is a medium-sized American songbird. Until recently, it was placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), but it and other members of its genus are now classified as belonging to the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). The species' plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family, although the Piranga species lacks the thick conical bill that many cardinals possess. The species resides in thick deciduous woodlands and suburbs.
Fun Fact
Male scarlet tanagers moult from brilliant red to olive-green every autumn and back again each spring — the transformation is so dramatic they look like completely different species in winter.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Deciduous forests
Diet
Insectivore
Lifespan
5-10 years
Threats
- Illegal Logging
- Wildfire