Scarlet tanagers are strikingly beautiful songbirds that stand out with their bright red bodies and black wings. They are a welcome sight for birdwatchers and backyard enthusiasts who want to attract more varieties of birds. However, tanagers can be elusive, as they tend to stay concealed high up in tree canopies much of the time. With the right techniques though, you can successfully attract these stunning birds to your yard.
What do scarlet tanagers eat?
Tanagers mainly eat insects and fruit. Their diet consists largely of bees, wasps, beetles, moths, butterflies, and dragonflies. Berries and fruit make up the bulk of their fruit consumption, especially wild berries like blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, juneberries, and elderberries. They may also eat some buds and seeds. Tanagers hunt insects by flying out from an inconspicuous perch to catch them mid-air.
What is their habitat?
Scarlet tanagers live in mature deciduous and mixed forests across Eastern North America. They prefer large, contiguous forest areas with a closed canopy made up of tall, old-growth trees. Within these forests, they look for open areas like forest gaps or edges that allow them to hunt insects while remaining somewhat concealed by foliage. Tanagers migrate to South America for the winter and return to their breeding grounds in the spring. They nest high up in the branches of large trees like oaks, maples, and hickories.
How can you provide proper food sources?
Here are some tips for providing food that will attract tanagers to your yard:
- Plant native berry-producing shrubs and trees like dogwoods, elderberries, spicebush, wild plums, and hawthorns. Concentrate on plants that produce small berries rather than large fruits.
- Choose plants that flower at different times to provide nectar sources from early spring through late summer.
- Provide suet feeders with insect or fruit-flavored suet cakes.
- Consider leaving fallen fruit from trees and shrubs on the ground as a food source.
- Avoid pesticides so insect populations can thrive.
- Set up a moving water feature like a waterfall or fountain, as flowing water attracts insects.
How can you provide suitable nesting areas?
Scarlet tanagers build nests on horizontal branches high up in mature trees. Here are some tips for providing suitable nesting sites:
- Allow dead limbs and trees to remain standing, as tanagers often nest in dead branches.
- Keep mature oaks, maples, beeches, and other large hardwoods to provide nesting habitat.
- Thin out lower branches on trees so the canopy is open and accessible.
- Retain some forested areas on your property. Even a small patch of trees can provide nesting habitat.
- Reduce forest fragmentation by creating corridors that connect forest tracts.
How can you provide cover and perch sites?
Tanagers are reclusive birds that prefer to stay hidden. Follow these tips to provide cover:
- Allow dense stands of shrubs like viburnum and witch hazel to grow to give concealment.
- Plant evergreen trees and shrubs that provide year-round cover.
- Leave dead snags standing as perch sites for hunting insects.
- Set up tall birdbaths or fountains for bathing and as lookout perches.
- Install large dense conifers along your property edges to mimic a forested habitat.
How do you avoid disturbances?
As sensitive forest-dwelling birds, scarlet tanagers need an environment free of disturbances. Here are some ways to avoid disturbances:
- Keep noise levels down and minimize loud equipment use during nesting season.
- Keep pets away from prime habitat areas to avoid stressing or flushing the birds.
- Avoid excessive clearing or pruning that makes the habitat too open and exposed.
- Prevent overcrowding at feeders and clean them regularly to reduce disease transmission.
- Don’t use reflective surfaces on windows, as birds may fly into them.
When will scarlet tanagers arrive?
Scarlet tanagers are spring migrants that arrive back on their breeding grounds anywhere from late April to early June, depending on your latitude. They usually arrive first in the southernmost parts of their range. Most individuals arrive in May. If you live far south, listen for the first raspy calls in late April signaling their return. Further north, be on the lookout in May for these bright red and black songbirds high up in the treetops.
Conclusion
With their stunning plumage, scarlet tanagers are a prize sighting for any backyard bird enthusiast. Though challenging, you can entice these elusive forest-dwellers by catering to their preference for insects, fruit, cover, and seclusion. Concentrate on providing food sources like berry-plants and suet, mature nesting trees, year-round protective cover, and an environment free of noise and disturbances. In return, you may be rewarded with a flash of scarlet in the treetops as tanagers come to investigate your backyard habitat.
