Yellow Tanager: Birding ID Challenge

Which Yellow Tanager Are You Seeing?

Courtesy Carole Anderson

Spotting a tanager is always a treat for birders. Male scarlet tanagers and summer tanagers are bright red birds, but you might not realize that the females of these species are actually yellow. The Western tanager is also a primarily yellow and black bird with red on its head. Learn how to tell which yellow tanager you are seeing in the backyard.

Discover 8 surprising facts about tanagers.

Female Summer Tanager

Courtesy William Palmer

One of the easiest ways to determine which yellow tanager you are seeing is by looking at the bird’s range map. Summer tanagers are most commonly found in the southern states when the weather warms up. Also, pay attention to the lack of field marks. Female summer tanagers are a solid color yellow with no black or red markings on the wings, head or tail. Look for a large bill to distinguish it from other small yellow birds. You may be able to attract tanagers with the grape jelly you put out for orioles.

Yellow warbler vs goldfinch: Here’s how to tell the difference.

Female Scarlet Tanager

Courtesy Pamela Carter

To identify a female scarlet tanager, look for a bird that looks just like its male counterpart, with black wings, but in a muted yellowish green color instead of red. Scarlet tanagers breed farther north than summer tanagers; look for them farther south during spring migration. Do scarlet tanagers eat oranges?

Western Tanager

Courtesy Barbara Hauer

As their name indicates, colorful Western tanagers are typically only found in the western half of the United States during spring migration and summer. They have black wings and tails like scarlet tanagers, but with bright yellow bodies and red heads in the breeding season. Also look for a distinctive yellow shoulder patch and white wingbars.

Courtesy Rachel Bauer

Female western tanagers look more muted, pale yellow and gray, without the reddish head coloring. In the southwest, also look for yellow female flame-colored and hepatic tanagers.