The Scarlet Tanager male in breeding plumage — flame scarlet with jet-black wings and tail — may be the most strikingly beautiful bird in eastern North America. Despite this vivid coloration, it is notoriously difficult to see in the forest canopy where its robin-like song originates. It undergoes a complete plumage change in fall, molting to yellow-green with dark wings.
Best time to see a Scarlet Tanager
The best time to see a Scarlet Tanager is April–May, when about 63% of U.S. sightings happen, based on 20,116 research-grade iNaturalist observations.
Not certain it is a Scarlet Tanager? What bird is this? walks through what to check first and the lookalikes that catch people out.
Recent Scarlet Tanager sightings near you
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