Bird · GBIF taxon 2488485
Summer Tanager
Piranga rubraAlso known as Summer Redbird
Adult males boast a brilliant, unbroken rose-red plumage, while females display a warm, olive-yellow tone. Renowned as wasp and bee specialists, these songbirds deftly snatch stinging insects from the air and beat them against branches to remove stingers. They spend summers breeding in open oak and pine woodlands across North America before migrating south to tropical wintering grounds.
SongbirdMigratoryInsectivore
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Wasps
- Bees
- Beetles
Predators
- Accipiter hawks
- Domestic cats
- Snakes
ThreatsHabitat loss, forest fragmentation, and window collisions during migration
HabitatsOpen deciduous and pine woodlands, forest edges, and orchards
Life spanUp to 5 years in the wild
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyCardinalidae
- SpeciesPiranga rubra
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Listen for Calls: Identify their distinctive 'pit-i-tuck' call note high in the tree canopy.
- Provide Water: Attract visiting tanagers to backyards during migration with drippers or birdbaths.
- Plant Native Trees: Maintain mature oaks and pines to offer favored foraging and nesting sites.
Prey (c) Bill Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Félix Uribe, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Spencer Hurt, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Spencer Hurt · cc-by
Close Relative 
Family Member Rhododendrites / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.