Context:
The rare bird, Scarlet Tanager, was recently spotted in the UK for the first time in 40 years.
Relevance:
GS III: Environment and Ecology
Scarlet Tanager
The Scarlet Tanager, a strikingly beautiful songbird, is native to North America and known for its vibrant plumage and melodious song.
Key Characteristics
- Scientific Name: Piranga olivacea
- Size: Medium-sized with stocky proportions, averaging about seven inches in length.
- Bill: Thick and rounded, well-suited for both catching insects and eating fruit.
- Appearance:
- Males: In the spring and summer, they display a brilliant red body with black wings and tail.
- Females and Immature Birds: Exhibit olive-yellow coloring with darker olive wings and tails.
- Post-Breeding Males: Molt into a plumage similar to females but retain black wings and tail.
Habitat and Behavior
- Breeding Habitat: Prefers deciduous and mixed deciduous-evergreen forests for breeding.
- Winter Habitat: Spends the winter months in tropical forests of Central and South America, often at forest edges.
- Migration: Undertakes a long migration between North and South America, adapting to varied habitats along the route.
Vocalizations
- Song: Described as reminiscent of a “robin with a cold,” indicating its distinct, slightly raspy quality.
- Call: The call, a clear “chip-burr,” is often used by birdwatchers to locate these tanagers in dense foliage.
Conservation Status
- IUCN Red List: Listed as Least Concern, indicating a stable population despite the long migratory routes which expose them to various threats.
-Source: The Hindu
