Nature Field Guide
Summer Tanager
- Spanish name
- Tangara veranera
- Scientific name
- Piranga rubra
What Do Pico & Tati Think?
Pico: “Even its wings are red!”
Tati: “That helps us compare it with the scarlet tanager.”
Species overview
About the Summer Tanager
The adult male summer tanager is red across the head, body, wings and tail. Its large pale bill helps distinguish it from other red birds. Females are yellowish or orange, while young males can be patchy.
It breeds farther north and visits Costa Rica during migration and the nonbreeding season. A name containing summer does not describe the same calendar season everywhere. Study the wings carefully when comparing it with a scarlet tanager.
Identification
Key Features of the Summer Tanager
Adult male entirely red
Hefty pale bill
Female yellowish and young males patchy
Habitat & range
A migrant and nonbreeding visitor, generally mid-September through April. Uses forest, edges and wooded gardens on both slopes, with fewer birds at higher elevations.
Local observations
Costa Rica: migrant.
When to observe
A seasonal visitor during migration and the northern nonbreeding season. Exact arrival and departure dates vary by place and year.
Conservation & care
Observe quietly from trails or established viewing areas. Give nests, roosts and feeding birds space. Do not handle, chase or lure birds with playback. Keep pets away from wildlife.
Threats & pressures
Migrants depend on suitable habitat across their full annual journey. Protect native vegetation, reduce collision hazards around glass and keep cats away from birds. These are practical prevention priorities, not a claim of a measured decline at a specific Costa Rican site.
Observation activity
Compare male summer and scarlet tanagers. Which one has contrasting black wings?
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