Summer Tanager

Description:

The only entirely red bird in North America, the Summer Tanager is a bird of southern forests. It specializes in eating bees and wasps, both in the summer and on its wintering grounds in Central and South America. Male Description Entirely bright red. Wings slightly darker or more gray, especially in winter (Basic Plumage). Female Description Upperparts plain yellowish olive green. Brighter yellow on crown and rump. Underparts dull yellow, with olive green wash on sides. Wing feathers grayish brown with yellow edging. Some females have red feathers. The red may be as a wash on body feathers, splotches of red feathers, or, rarely, the bird may be entirely red. Immature Description Immature resembles adult female. First spring male with variable amount of red and yellow feathers; may have only a few red feathers on head, or may be entirely red except for the wing feathers.

Habitat:

Texas Hill Country

Notes:

Photos show adult male, adult female, and first-year male