General Description: Summer Tanagers (Piranga rubra) are medium-sized, sexually dimorphic, migratory songbirds. Males are bright red overall, although the wings may appear a bit darker, and are the only all-red bird in North America. Females are yellowish-green (mustard) above and dull yellowish below. The bill is yellowish or tan, but not dark as in Hepatic Tanagers. Both sexes produce a distinctive chuckling call note.

Taxonomy: Passeriformes, Cardinalidae. Formerly Thraupidae.

Favored Habitat: Deciduous woodlands across the southern U.S. and south into northern South America.

Where to Find: Don't look for Summer Tanagers around Las Vegas. Rather, look for them in Arizona and places eastward across the southern U.S. However, this species shows up around Las Vegas from time to time, so keep an eye out for them during summer and fall.

In the east where Summer and Scarlet tanagers occur, Summer Tanagers breed in more open woodlands. In the West, Western and Hepatic tanagers breed at higher elevations in coniferous forests, while Summer Tanagers breed at lower elevations in riparian corridors.

Comments: Summer Tanagers specialize on eating bees and wasps, which they catch in flight, but they will also eat fruits such as blackberries, citrus, and bananas.