Scarlet Tanager

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Scarlet Tanager
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Passeriformes Family: Thraupidae Genus: Piranga Species: P. olivacea
Binomial name
Piranga olivacea (Gmelin, 1789)

The Scarlet Tanager, Piranga olivacea, is a medium-sized songbird of the Tanager family, Thraupidae.

Adults have pale stout smooth bills. Adult males are bright red with black wings and tail; females are yellowish on the underparts and olive on top, with olive-brown wings and tail. The adult male's winter plumage is similar to the female's, but the wings and tail remain darker.

Their breeding habitat is large forested areas, especially with oaks, across eastern North America. They build a cup nest on a horizontal tree branch.

These birds migrate to northwestern South America. This tanager is an extremely rare vagrant to western Europe.

These birds are often out of sight, foraging high in trees, sometimes flying out to catch insects in flight. They mainly eat insects and berries.

These birds do best in the forest interior, where they are less exposed to predators and nest parasitism by the Brown-headed Cowbird. Their numbers are declining in some areas due to forest fragmentation.

Contents 1 Interesting Scarlet Tanager Facts 2 References 3 External links 4 Further reading 4.1 Book 4.2 Thesis 4.3 Articles

[edit] Interesting Scarlet Tanager Facts

The Scarlet Tanager is the only species of Tanagers that undergo seasonal changes in its plumage. Each fall, the male Scarlet Tanager changes his strikingly beautiful red and black plumage to a more drab olive green pretty much the same as the female Scarlet Tanagers plumage.

The Scarlet Tanager influenced Antonín Dvořák's String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Opus 96 (the "American" String Quartet). Dvořák heard the bird singing while trying to work on his composition. Though rather irritated by the distraction, he based the main theme of the scherzo on the bird's song.

[edit] References

• BirdLife International (2004). Piranga olivacea. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
• Interesting Scarlet Tanager Facts donated by BirdHouses101.com

[edit] External links

• Scarlet Tanager Species Account - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• Scarlet Tanager Information - South Dakota Birds and Birding
• Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivaceaUSGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
• Summer Red Bird by John Audubon

[edit] Further reading

[edit] Book

• Mowbray, T. B. 1999. Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea). In The Birds of North America, No. 479 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Birds of North America, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.

[edit] Thesis

• Gustafson DK. Ph.D. (1985). FOREST ISLAND SIZE AND MATRIX INTERACTIONS WITH AVIAN TROPHIC GROUPS IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN (BIOGEOGRAPHY). The University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, United States -- Wisconsin.

• Hames RS. Ph.D. (2001). Habitat fragmentation and forest birds: Effects at multiple scales. Cornell University, United States -- New York.

• Hudon J. Ph.D. (1989). Keto-carotenoid usage and evolutionary dynamics in birds. The University of Connecticut, United States -- Connecticut.

• Prescott KW. Ph.D. (1950). A LIFE HISTORY STUDY OF THE SCARLET TANAGER (PIRANGA OLIVACEA). University of Michigan, United States -- Michigan.

• Shy E. Ph.D. (1982). EVOLUTION OF SONGS IN NORTH AMERICAN TANAGERS (THRAUPINAE: PIRANGA). Wayne State University, United States -- Michigan.

• Villard M-A. Ph.D. (1991). Spatio-temporal dynamics of forest bird patch populations in agricultural landscapes. Carleton University (Canada), Canada.

• Weakland CA. Ph.D. (2000). Effects of diameter-limit and two-age timber harvesting on songbird populations on an industrial forest in central West Virginia. West Virginia University, United States -- West Virginia.

[edit] Articles

• Alderton RE. (1977). Scarlet Tanager in the Isles of Scilly. British Birds. vol 70, no 7. p. 300-301.

• Baylor LM. (1971). Scarlet Tanager at Rapid City. South Dakota Bird Notes. vol 23, no 4.

• Cooper RJ, Dodge KM, Martinat PJ, Donahoe SB & Whitmore RC. (1990). Effect of Diflubenzuron Application on Eastern Deciduous Forest Birds. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 54, no 3. p. 486-493.

• Crawford HS, Hooper RG & Titterington RW. (1981). Song Bird Population Response to Silvicultural Practices in Central Appalachian USA Hardwoods. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 45, no 3. p. 680-692.

• Dettmers R & Bart J. (1999). A GIS modeling method applied to predicting forest songbird habitat. Ecological Applications. vol 9, no 1. p. 152-163.

• Dettmers R, Buehler DA & Franzreb KE. (2002). Testing habitat-relationship models for forest birds of the southeastern United States. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 66, no 2. p. 417-424.

• Dobbs M. (1995). Late scarlet tanager sighting in Clarke County. Oriole. vol 60, no 4.

• Donovan TM & Flather CH. (2002). Relationships among North American songbird trends, habitat fragmentation, and landscape occupancy. Ecological Applications. vol 12, no 2. p. 364-374.

• Duncan S. (1976). Anting by a Scarlet Tanager and 2 Blue Jays in Massachusetts. Bird Banding. vol 47, no 1.

• Eckert KR. (1971). Scarlet Tanager in Late November. Loon. vol 43, no 4.

• Ellis CJ. (1976). Syringeal Histology Part 5 Thraupidae Yellow-Rumped Tanager Ramphocelus-Icteronotus and Scarlet Tanager Piranga-Olivacea. Iowa State Journal of Research. vol 50, no 4. p. 357-362.

• Ferguson RS. (1981). Summer Birds of the Northwest Angle Provincial Forest and Adjacent Southeastern Manitoba Canada. Syllogeus. vol 31, p. 1-23.

• Fraser GS & Stutchbury BJM. (2004). Area-sensitive forest birds move extensively among forest patches. Biological Conservation. vol 118, no 3. p. 377-387.

• Garrett KL & Wilson JC. (2003). Report of the California Bird Records Committee: 2001 records. Western Birds. vol 34, no 1. p. 15-41.

• Gobris NM & Yong W. (1993). Breeding records of worm-eating Warbler and scarlet tanager from Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge. Oriole. vol 58, no 1-4. p. 4-6.

• Goodwin AG. (1984). Scarlet Tanager Piranga-Olivacea in Scilly Uk. British Birds. vol 77, no 10. p. 490-491.

• Grand J & Cushman SA. (2003). A multi-scale analysis of species-environment relationships: Breeding birds in a pitch pine-scrub oak (Pinus rigida-Quercus ilicifolia) community. Biological Conservation. vol 112, no 3. p. 307-317.

• Greenberg CH & Lanham JD. (2001). Breeding bird assemblages of hurricane-created gaps and adjacent closed canopy forest in the southern Appalachians. Forest Ecology and Management. vol 154, no 1-2. p. 251-260.

• Hames RS, Rosenberg KV, Lowe JD, Barker SE & Dhondt AA. (2002). Effects of forest fragmentation on Tanager and thrush species in eastern and western North America. Studies in Avian Biology. vol 25, p. 81-91.

• Hames RS, Rosenberg KV, Lowe JD & Dhondt AA. (2001). Site reoccupation in fragmented landscapes: Testing predictions of metapopulation theory. Journal of Animal Ecology. vol 70, no 2. p. 182-190.

• Hanowski J, Danz N, Lind J & Niemi G. (2003). Breeding bird response to riparian forest harvest and harvest equipment. Forest Ecology & Management. vol 174, no 1-3. p. 315-328.

• Holding J. (1983). SCARLET TANAGER IN CORNWALL. British Birds. vol 76, no 12. p. 581-582.

• Holmes RT. (1986). Foraging Patterns of Forest Birds Male-Female Differences. Wilson Bulletin. vol 98, no 2. p. 196-213.

• Holmes RT, Sherry TW & Sturges FW. (1986). Bird Community Dynamics in a Temperate Deciduous Forest Long-Term Trends at Hubbard Brook New-Hampshire USA. Ecological Monographs. vol 56, no 3. p. 201-220.

• Hudon J. (1991). Unusual Carotenoid Use by the Western Tanager Piranga-Ludoviciana and Its Evolutionary Implications. Canadian Journal of Zoology. vol 69, no 9. p. 2311-2320.

• Jubb GLJ & Cunningham HNJ. (1976). Birds Associated with Grapes in Erie County Pennsylvania USA. American Journal of Enology & Viticulture. vol 27, no 4. p. 161-162.

• Maurer BA & Whitmore RC. (1981). Foraging of 5 Bird Species in 2 Forests with Different Vegetation Structure. Wilson Bulletin. vol 93, no 4. p. 478-490.

• Mellow BK. (1983). SCARLET TANAGER IN CORNWALL. British Birds. vol 76, no 12. p. 580-581.

• Moore T. (1986). A Late Scarlet Tanager in North Fulton County Georgia USA. Oriole. vol 51, no 4.

• Murray NL & Stauffer DF. (1995). Nongame bird use of habitat in central Appalachian riparian forests. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 59, no 1. p. 78-88.

• Olafsson E. (1993). Rare and vagrant birds in Iceland: Buntings, vireos and icterids. Natturufraedingurinn. vol 63, no 1-2. p. 87-108.

• Plenge MA, Parker TA, III, Hughes RA & O'Neill JP. (1989). Additional Notes on the Distribution of Birds in West-Central Peru. Gerfaut. vol 79, no 1-4. p. 55-68.

• Prather JW & Smith KG. (2003). Effects of tornado damage on forest bird populations in the Arkansas ozarks. Southwestern Naturalist. vol 48, no 2. p. 292-297.

• Prescott KW. (1972). Late Scarlet Tanager Recorded. Inland Bird Banding News. vol 44, no 6.

• Rivera JHV, McShea WJ & Rappole JH. (2003). Comparison of breeding and postbreeding movements and habitat requirements for the Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) in Virginia. Auk. vol 120, no 3. p. 632-644.

• Roberts C & Norment CJ. (1999). Effects of plot size and habitat characteristics on breeding success of scarlet tanagers. Auk. vol 116, no 1. p. 73-82.

• Robinson SK & Holmes RT. (1982). Foraging Behavior of Forest Birds the Relationships among Search Tactics Diet and Habitat Structure. Ecology. vol 63, no 6. p. 1918-1931.

• Rodewald AD. (2004). Nest-searching cues and studies of nest-site selection and nesting success. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 75, no 1. p. 31-39.

• Sample BE, Cooper RJ & Whitmore RC. (1993). DIETARY SHIFTS AMONG SONGBIRDS FROM A DIFLUBENZURON-TREATED FOREST. Condor. vol 95, no 3. p. 616-624.

• Sewell J. (1995). Late fall scarlet tanager sighting in Forsyth County. Oriole. vol 60, no 4. p. 90-92.

• Shy E. (1984). Habitat Shift and Geographical Variation in North American Tanagers Thraupinae Piranga. Oecologia. vol 63, no 2. p. 281-285.

• Shy E. (1984). The Structure of Song and Its Geographical Variation in the Scarlet Tanager Piranga-Olivacea. American Midland Naturalist. vol 112, no 1. p. 119-130.

• Stotz DF, Bierregaard RO, Cohn-Haft M, Petermann P, Smith J, Whittaker A & Wilson SV. (1992). The Status of North American Migrants in Central Amazonian Brazil. Condor. vol 94, no 3. p. 608-621.

• Stutchbury BJM, Capuano B & Fraser GS. (2005). Avian frugivory on a gap-specialist, the red elderberry (Sambucus racemosa). Wilson Bulletin. vol 117, no 4. p. 336-340.

• Villard M-A, Merriam G & Maurer BA. (1995). Dynamics in subdivided populations of neotropical migratory birds in a fragmented temperate forest. Ecology. vol 76, no 1. p. 27-40.

• Walley WJ. (1989). Breeding of the Scarlet Tanager Piranga-Olivacea in Western Manitoba Canada. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 103, no 4. p. 572-576.

• Williams E. (1968). Birds About Milbank South-Dakota USA Scarlet Tanager Avocets Lark Bunting and Redstarts. South Dakota Bird Notes. vol 22, no 4.

• Zumeta DC & Holmes RT. (1978). Habitat Shift and Roadside Mortality of Scarlet Tanagers During a Cold Wet New-England Spring. Wilson Bulletin. vol 90, no 4. p. 575-586.