Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) lives in deciduous forest across North America. It feeds on insects and fruit. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Scarlet Tanager
- A scarlet tanager weighs ranging from 23.5 g to 38 g, yet its bright crimson body spans 16-19 cm in length with a 25-30 cm wingspan. During the breeding season the average weight drops to 25 g, swelling to 35 g as they gear up for the long migration. This tiny mass-to-size ratio lets the bird dart through forest canopies, catching insects on the wing, and shows how birds can carry vivid color across continents.
- To keep a breeding pair thriving, scarlet tanagers need at least 10-12 hectares of continuous deciduous wood. Smaller fragments expose nests to more predators and cowbird parasitism, driving down success rates. This spatial demand explains why forest fragmentation is a major threat and why preserving large, unbroken tracts is essential for the species' future.
- In a single study, up to three-quarters of scarlet tanager nests, 69 % to 78 %, were lost to predators such as blue jays, crows, and squirrels. This staggering loss rate highlights how nest placement deep inside forest interiors is a key defense, and why habitat fragmentation that pushes birds to edge habitats dramatically raises their risk of disappearance.
- The world hosts roughly 2.6 million mature scarlet tanagers, a number that is slowly slipping downward despite the IUCN's "Least Concern" label.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeNorth America
HabitatDeciduous forest
DietInsects and fruit
About the Scarlet Tanager
As the Scarlet Tanager flits through the verdant canopy, its vibrant plumage flashes like a burst of ruby sunlight, illuminating the dappled shadows of its forest realm. With an effortless flutter of its wings, this avian gem navigates the intricate lattice of branches, its bright, inquisitive eyes scanning the surroundings for the ripest fruits and most succulent insects to fuel its remarkable migratory journeys. In its fleeting glimpses, the Scarlet Tanager embodies the very essence of tropical splendor, a living embodiment of the lush, vibrant world it inhabits.
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