While walking through a ponderosa pine forest in a western mountain range, a flash of color against the green background of pine needles caught my attention. Careful observation revealed a small bird flying from branch to branch in the uppermost branches of a large pine. The bird’s bright yellow body, red head, black tail, and black wings with yellow and white wing bars were an amazing sight. It was a male Western Tanager, one of my favorite birds, and one of the most colorful birds of the American West.
These brightly colored birds inhabit the coniferous forests of the western mountains at elevations up to 10,000 feet, although usually lower. Their summer range is from the mountains of Arizona and New Mexico north into Canada, from the West Coast to the Rocky Mountain chain, and even the Black Hills in South Dakota, on the east.
Typically, they are found high in the forest canopy where they feed on insects. Late in the summer, they may be seen feeding closer to the ground on berries. They are usually found alone or in pairs except when migrating to or from Mexico, where they winter. During migration, they may gather in small groups and sometimes even mix in with other migrating bird species. At that time, they can be seen in mixed woodlands at lower elevations.
They are relatively small birds, about 6 to 7.5 inches long. Males exhibit the more striking colors, as is typical in the bird world, while the females are primarily yellow with an olive-gray back, black tail, and black wings with yellow and white wing bars. You may locate one by hearing it before you see it. An audio clip of their song and call is provided here.
If you are fortunate enough to spot a Western Tanager you will wish you had a pair of binoculars. I always try to remember to carry binoculars for just such a chance encounter. Even though I always look for them in the western mountains, I have only witnessed Western Tanagers on a few occasions. I hope you have the opportunity to see these beautiful birds.