Flame-colored Tanager (Piranga bidentata)

The Flame-colored Tanager is a beautifully colored tanager normally found in Mexico and Central America. They are very rare vagrants in the United States, with the first sighting occurring in 1985. Since then, they have been seen occasionally, with most birds being seen in extreme southern Arizona, but with a handful of sightings along the Mexican border of Texas as well. They have also been seen nesting in Arizona. They are closely related to the Western Tanager, and hybrid Flame-colored and Western Tanagers are seen on occasion. The first Flame-colored Tanager seen in the U.S. in 1985, in fact, was documented as breeding with a female Western Tanager and producing offspring.

Habitat

Found in mountain forests in their normal range. Those seen in the United States have typically been found in similar habitat.

Diet

Feeds mostly on insects, but will also take fruits and berries in season.

Behavior

Forages by deliberately moving through the foliage, pausing to look for insects. It will directly glean insects from foliage and branches, or it will sometimes fly out to capture flying insects in mid-air.

Nesting

The nest is a cup of grasses and other vegetation, built mostly by the female. The female lays 3 or 4 eggs, which are incubated by the female. When the eggs hatch, both parents help to raise the young.

Song

Series of gurgling phrases with pauses in between.

Migration

Considered a permanent resident throughout its normal range.

Interactive eBird Map

Click here to access an interactive eBird map of Flame-colored Tanager sightings

Similar Species

Western Tanager

Feeders

Will attend feeders for fruits and berries.

Conservation Status

Populations appear to be stable, and the IUCN lists the Flame-colored Tanager as a species of "Least Concern".

Photo Information

Photo taken by Andy Jones - Cleveland Museum of Natural History - Photo licensed under Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.