5-22-2025 4:07am

Bird of the Month: Scarlet Tanager.

Lesley Misko Editor

by Mike Strzelecki*

The spring migration is winding down, but there are still brilliant birds splashing resplendent colors across our skies and treetops. None may be more dazzling than the scarlet tanager. Keen eyes can often see them perched in tree tops throughout Boyertown-area forests and parks.

The scarlet tanager is blazing red with solid jet-black wings and tail. And the term “blazing red” is an understatement. Its iridescence is sharp and vivid compared to other migratory birds. Some folks may confuse our backyard friend, the northern cardinal, for the scarlet tanager since both species are predominantly red. But trust me when I say there is no comparison. The red feathers of a cardinal are very muted; scarlet tanagers look like a flame-ball arcing across the sky or perched in a tree. When you see one, you will know it.

Scarlet tanagers winter-over in South America. In spring, they migrate through the United States to their breeding grounds. Some will pass through Pennsylvania to points farther north, but a large population will actually stay and breed in-state. Pennsylvania has the largest breeding population of scarlet tanagers in the world, with 12-percent of the global population breeding here.

Scarlet tanagers are opportunistic feeders. Bugs, which are abundant in thick tree canopy, comprise the bulk of their diet. But they have a special affinity for berries of all types, and can often be seen raiding mulberry trees, or those with similar offerings. Though they typically feed and reside high up in trees, they will routinely come down to our level to drink or bathe.

The best way to find a scarlet tanager is to learn its call, a hurried and sometimes repetitive warble. Then, wander mature woodlands listening for the call. Scarlet tanagers are actually easier to spot than most warblers and other migratory birds. Warblers are tiny and tend to disappear into the tree’s canopy, whereas the scarlet tanager is larger, brighter, and often perches on the outside part of the canopy. Just look for a tiny, red fireball shimmering high in a tree.

Keep in mind that scarlet tanagers enjoy quiet forest, but can also be found in busy areas. The scarlet tanager images in this article were captured at a heavily used park in downtown Baltimore.

If learning the call of the scarlet tanager is too challenging, another method is to download the free Merlin app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Turn the app on and wander around forests or parks. The app will listen for various singing birds and tell you which ones you are hearing. It’s a great tool for beginning birders, but experienced birders use it as well.

* Mike Strzelecki is a freelance travel and outdoor writer, and 1981 graduate of Boyertown Area Senior High School. He writes from his house in Baltimore, Maryland. In his spare time, he joins his wife on adventures around the country observing and photographing birds.