from the archives: feathered Friday - the western tanager

by Rachel Ames

One of the most exciting birds to see in the Estes Valley is the Western Tanager. A member of the Cardinal family, the Western Tanager male is brightly colored with a yellow body, red head and black on the back and wings. While many birds are able to “make” the color red for their feathers, Western Tanagers are thought to obtain the nutrients for their red coloring from their diet. Unfortunately, no one knows what food gives them that color or if the coloring helps in mate selection. In summer they eat mostly insects with some berries, but in the fall and winter, they eat fruit, berries and a few insects. Females and juveniles have more muted coloring and are typically an olive-yellow. Western Tanagers breed in open coniferous and mixed deciduous-coniferous forests and winter in Mexico and Central America. Perhaps the easiest way to find a Western Tanager is for listen to the characteristic song consisting of short up-and-down notes that sound like a hoarse or raspy American Robin. The call is similar but is blurrier or rattle sounding. To hear both their song and call go to: https://www.nps.gov/.../photosm.../sounds-westerntanager.htm

A male Western Tanager with insect.

A female Wester Tanager.

Male Western Tanager.

Female Western Tanager.

Female or immature Western Tanager.