If the forest had a fire alarm, it would look like the Scarlet Tanager. This male's blazing red body and jet-black wings are a visual siren cutting through the lush greens of eastern hardwood forests. Despite the color drama, they're surprisingly hard to spot—these birds prefer to skulk high in the canopy, where the light filters just enough to make them glow like embers between the leaves.
Habitat & Range:
Scarlet Tanagers breed in mature deciduous forests across the eastern U.S., often choosing oak and maple woodlands. Come fall, they trade those broad leaves for tropical ones—migrating to northwestern South America, where they molt into a more subdued olive-yellow plumage for the winter (a practical fashion choice for blending into the jungle).
Field Notes:
To find one, head out in late spring or early summer and tune your ears. Their song sounds like a robin's—if the robin had a sore throat. Once you've locked in the sound, look for a flash of red against the green canopy. Binoculars are essential; patience is, too.
ID Tips:
Males are unmistakable—scarlet red body, black wings, black tail. Females and nonbreeding males are a soft yellow-green with darker wings. Both have thick, slightly curved bills perfect for catching insects or snagging a berry mid-flight.
A Scarlet Tanager sighting feels like a reward for slowing down—proof that the forest saves its most brilliant treasures for those who linger.
Stay curious, stay kind—and if a bird poops on you today, take it as a sign of good luck.
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