Western Tanager

Piranga ludoviciana

The western tanager is a brightly colored songbird. The male has a red head, a yellow body, and black wings. The female western tanager has a yellow belly and a yellow-gray top.

The western tanager can often be seen in Wyoming during their breeding season and is a common summer resident. This strikingly beautiful bird has been observed in most parts of the state, with higher concentrations in the northwest.

Many bird watchers enjoy searching for this bird in Wyoming as they can sometimes be elusive. During the breeding season, western tanagers build their nests in coniferous forests and occasionally deciduous trees, making it difficult to spot them.

Phylum:

Chordata

Class:

Aves

Order:

Passeriformes

Family:

Cardinalidae

Subfamily:

Genus:

Piranga

Species:

ludoviciana

Native or nonnative?

Native

Wyoming classification

nongame bird

Diet

Western tanagers are omnivores, but primarily eat insects like ants, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and more.

Lifespan

Up to 8 years

Size

6-7.5 inches

Weight

0.8-1.3 ounces

Adaptations

The western tanager has the ability to migrate extreme distances. They typically breed in the western states such as Wyoming and as far as Northwest Canada. During winter western tanagers have been observed in Southern California, Mexico, and Central America.

Western tanager fun facts

Male western tanagers, usually older than a year, have scarlet red feathers on their head. While most red birds get their coloring from plant pigments, the western tanager is unique in the sense that its red coloration can vary due to the insects that it eats.

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The western tanager been found at elevations close to 10,000 feet.

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Behavior

Western tanagers are relatively solitary birds, aside from their breeding mate. They also occasionally travel in small groups while migrating. Western tanagers are known for their diurnal activity, foraging in canopies during daylight hours. However, like other songbirds they migrate at night.

Reproduction

Male and female western tanagers are monogamous, mating for life. During the months of May through July the female will spend a few days building the nest while the male stays close by keeping watch. The male will defend the nesting territory through vocalizations such as constant singing. The female will lay 3-5 eggs and incubate them for around 13 days. Once hatched, the male and female both provide food and care for their young. At around two weeks after hatching, the chicks are able to leave the nest.