The scarlet tanager is a medium-sized songbird found in eastern North America. It is known for its bright red plumage during the breeding season. However, in the fall, scarlet tanagers undergo a dramatic molt that results in a completely different appearance. So what color are scarlet tanagers in the fall?
Scarlet Tanager Description
The scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea) is a species of songbird in the cardinal family, Cardinalidae. It breeds in eastern North America before migrating to South America for the winter. Some key facts about scarlet tanagers:
- Length: 6.5-7.5 inches
- Wingspan: 11 inches
- Weight: 0.8-1.3 ounces
- Lifespan: Up to 11 years
- Male breeding plumage: Bright red body with black wings and tail
- Female breeding plumage: Yellow-orange body with olive-green wings and tail
During the breeding season, the male scarlet tanager is one of the most brilliantly colored birds in its range. Its bright plumage has been described as “flame-colored” or “vermilion.” This striking red coloration likely plays a role in mate selection and breeding behavior.
Fall Molt
In the late summer and early fall, scarlet tanagers undergo a complete molt. This replaces all of their feathers before their fall migration. The most dramatic change occurs in the male tanager. When the molt is complete, the male’s formerly brilliant red plumage is replaced by a greenish-yellow color similar to the female’s normal coloration.
This phenomenon is well-summarized by the old saying “Red in spring, yellow in fall.” While not literally true, it points to the dramatic shift in the male tanager’s appearance.
Reasons for Molt
There are a few key reasons why scarlet tanagers change color in the fall:
- Camouflage – The greenish-yellow plumage likely provides better camouflage as the birds migrate through forests and other habitats.
- Energy conservation – Producing and maintaining the bright red feathers may require more energy than duller plumage.
- Mate signaling – The red breeding plumage helps attract mates, which is not a concern in the fall.
By molting into drabber non-breeding feathers in the fall, scarlet tanagers conserve energy and gain camouflage benefits as they migrate.
Fall Plumage Coloration
So exactly what color are male scarlet tanagers after their fall molt? The new feathers take on an olive-yellow color that is similar to the female’s normal appearance:
- Crown and nape: Yellowish-olive green
- Back: Olive green
- Rump: Olive yellow
- Wings: Dark gray with two pale yellow wing bars
- Tail: Dark olive green
- Throat and breast: Pale yellowish
- Belly: Light yellowish white
The wings and tail retain some darker coloration, while the rest of the body shifts to a pale, olive-yellow appearance. This provides camouflage in the fall foliage. Females undergo a similar molt, with their plumage shifting to paler, more muted versions of their breeding colors.
Differences from Breeding Plumage
The fall plumage of scarlet tanagers differs dramatically from the breeding plumage in a few key ways:
- Males lose all bright red coloring
- Both sexes are more yellowish-olive overall
- Wings and tails become darker and less colorful
- Color patterns are more subdued and cryptic
While still retaining some beautiful olive and yellow tones, the fall tanagers are practically unrecognizable compared to their brilliant spring and summer appearance. This seasonal shift likely makes it harder for predators to recognize them as well.
Duration of Fall Plumage
After completing their molt in late summer or early fall, scarlet tanagers retain their duller non-breeding plumage throughout the fall migration and into the winter. This is known as their “basic plumage.”
Migration
Scarlet tanagers breed across Eastern North America during the summer. Starting in August and September, they migrate south to their wintering grounds. This primarily includes areas in Central America, northern South America, the Caribbean, and northern parts of South America.
During the long migration in their fresh fall plumage, the olive-yellow tanagers are well-camouflaged in the forests and woodlands they travel through.
Wintering Grounds
Scarlet tanagers overwinter in the Neotropical region of the Americas. Here they remain in their dull basic plumage, which provides concealment in the tropical forests and wooded areas where they spend the winter.
Return Migration
The following spring, scarlet tanagers make the long return migration north to their breeding grounds. They remain in their basic plumage during the journey.
Spring Molt and Breeding Plumage
As scarlet tanagers return to their breeding range in April and May, the males undergo another molt into their brilliant red breeding plumage. This seasonally dimorphic plumage helps attract mates and signal aggression during the breeding season.
Timing
The spring molt occurs rapidly, generally taking place just before or after the birds arrive at their breeding grounds in spring. This ensures males are in peak coloration for breeding activities.
Color Changes
In their spring molt, the Changes in male scarlet tanager plumage include:
- Crown, face, back, rump, and underparts turn bright red
- Wings and tail become darker black
- Small red shoulder patches may emerge
Females also molt into their breeding plumage in spring, though the changes are subtler, with more yellow-orange coloration overall.
Behaviors
The bright red breeding plumage helps male scarlet tanagers establish breeding territories and attract mates in the spring. This colorful plumage is thought to signal health, fitness, and social dominance to females. Their dark wings may also help display the colorful body.
Conclusion
In summary, the answer to “What color are scarlet tanagers in the fall?” is olive-yellow. While males are brilliant red in the breeding season, they molt into cryptic yellow-green plumage in the late summer and fall. This provides camouflage during migration and in their winter range. Females also adopt more muted plumage in the fall. Both sexes then remolt into breeding colors in the spring before nesting season. The seasonal shifts in scarlet tanager plumage are a classic example of molts associated with migration and breeding cycles in many birds. Their ability to shift into such dramatically different colorations helps optimize their chances of survival and reproduction throughout the year.
References
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Scarlet Tanager Life History.” All About Birds.
- Lockwood, Mark (2007). Basic Texas Birds: A Field Guide. University of Texas Press.
- National Audubon Society (2010). The Audubon Field Guide to North American Birds: Eastern Region. Knopf.
- Pearson, T. Gilbert (1917). “Fall Molt of the Scarlet Tanager (Piranga erythromelas)”. The Auk. 34 (4): 465–466.
