Western Tanager Song

Wings have two bars.

Western tanager song. Females and immatures are a somewhat dimmer yellow green and blackish. Western tanager song recorded on the cow creek trail in rocky mountain national park. A clear look at a male western tanager is like looking at a flame. The western tanager piranga ludoviciana is a medium sized american songbird formerly placed in the tanager family thraupidae it and other members of its genus are classified in the cardinal family cardinalidae.

Female is olive green above with gray back and yellow underparts. These birds live in open woods all over the west particularly among evergreens where they often stay hidden in the canopy. Look for them in fairly open conifer forests. Sue riffe pacific southwest region usfws.

Swift direct flight on rapidly beating wings. It was first recorded on the lewis and clark expedition. 0 00 western tanager call song call song. Each whistled quickly rising and falling note is less musical with a harsh or hoarse tone.

Western tanagers nest in coniferous forests of the north and the high mountains but during migration they may show up in any habitat including grassland and desert. The song is reminiscent of an american robin s song but usually shorter and hoarser or raspier in tone. Western tanagers are common in western conifer forests during the breeding season. Other cardinals grosbeaks and allies.

Male western tanagers sing a short rasping song that lasts about 2 5 seconds and consists of a few short burry up and down phrases sometimes likened to the bird asking and answering a series of rapid fire questions. A western counterpart to the scarlet tanager this species occurs in summer farther north than any other tanager far up into northwestern canada. Legs and feet are gray. The bright males often draw attention by pausing in suburban yards in late spring.

An orange red head brilliant yellow body and coal black wings back and tail. The species s plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family. Medium sized tanager with brilliant red head bright yellow body black back wings and tail. 1 minute 22 seconds.

They can be hard to see despite the males bright colors so listen for a loud hoarse rising and following song of two three or four note phrases. Note that a dusky flycatcher pine squirrel and the buzz of a hummingbird flying by can be heard in the background.