Female Scarlet Tanagers (Male vs Female Identification)

Scarlet tanager (Piranha) is a small American songbird from the cardinal family. Females are relatively drab and do not develop the bright breeding colors that are typical of various North American tanagers.

Scarlet tanagers are breeding for summer visitors in the eastern half of North America, nesting from central Georgia to southern Canada. So what do female scarlet tanagers look like, and how are they different from males?

Adult female scarlet tanagers are olive yellow. Their rump, face, and underparts are pale yellow, and their wings and tail are dark olive. They are easy to spot from the bold black and red males in their breeding plumage.

Females can be confused with some other American birds, but differences in their calls, size, and habits can help identify you. Adult females also resemble juvenile males of the same kind that have recently hatched from the nest.

Scarlet tanagers migrate to deciduous forest habitats in the United States to breed. Males establish territories and sing to advertise their space. Females also sing in response to their mates, and their songs are very similar. However, there are some major differences between their roles in the nesting process, with females tending to do more of the work.

This article covers everything you need to know about the female scarlet tanager, a mysterious oriental summer songbird.

Female scarlet tanager perched on a branch

How do you know if a scarlet tanager is a male or a female?

The best way to tell the difference between a female and a male scarlet tanager is by the color of their feathers. Female scarlet tanagers are especially easy to distinguish from males during the summer nesting season. Males have black and red breeding colors during this time, while females are a soft olive color.

female scarlet tanager

Male scarlet tanager (breeding plumage)

What does a female scarlet tanager look like?

Female scarlet tanagers are small, stout songbirds about the size of bluebirds. These fruit- and insect-eating animals have black beaks, black eyes, and black legs.

Female scarlet tanagers are a dull olive yellow. The wings and tail are dark olive brown, but the rump and head and underparts are pale yellow.

Female scarlet tanagers may be confused with some other birds. Read on to learn how to tell them apart.

Closeup of a female scarlet tanager

Same species

Female scarlet tanagers are most likely to be confused with female summer tanagers (red piranha) their ranges overlap in the southeast.

The two are hard to tell apart, although female summer tanagers tend to be brighter yellow in general. Their wings are not the same dark olive color, their legs and beaks are a lighter color.

Two other species of tanager came to the United States. Females of these birds also resemble female scarlet tanagers, although they are only found in the western and southwestern United States.

Female scarlet tanagers may also be confused with the following American songbirds:

• Female Orchard Oriole (jaundice)
• Yellowthroat (woolly dragon)
• Great Crested Flycatcher (Wallaby)

Females with juvenile and non-breeding males

Scarlet tanagers are bred in the United States so adult males have distinctive black and red plumage. However, their wintering grounds in South America look very different.

Non-breeding males can distinguish females by their brighter yellow color and persistent black wings and tail. Juveniles of both sexes can also look very similar to adult females, although juveniles are darker in color and have fine dark stripes.

Non-breeding male scarlet tanager – note the black wings and tail

Are female scarlet tanagers bigger than males?

The scarlet tanager is a small songbird weighing about an ounce (28 grams), with a wingspan of about 11 inches (28 centimeters) and a body length of about 7 inches (18 centimeters). Male and female scarlet tanagers are very similar in size, but the male has slightly longer wings, tail and beak.

behavioral difference

The striking color difference between male and female scarlet tanagers provides an easy way to tell the sexes apart. However, a closer look can reveal some interesting differences in behavior.

Male scarlet tanagers arrive at the summer breeding grounds a few days earlier than females. This preemptive strike gives them time to establish territory to attract partners.

Males display their bright scarlet backs and contrasting black wings to females, who, if the appropriate impression is made, will bend down and lift their heads with fluttering wings to invite mating.

Once paired, both sexes are territorial, with females chasing other females out of their nesting territories.

Male scarlet tanager in non-breeding plumage

sing and call

The female scarlet tanager sings and calls in North America. Listening to them in the tree canopy is a great way to locate these shy birds. Both sexes make characteristic “chip-churr” calls and other variations. Their songs sound similar to American Robin, only rougher.

The female scarlet tanager’s call is very similar to the male’s, only softer and shorter. She will sing while feeding, nesting and responding to the male’s song. She also makes high-pitched calls when intruders are protecting her lair or territory.

Closeup of a perched female scarlet tanager

nesting and feeding

Male and female scarlet tanagers do not share their nesting responsibilities equally. Read on to learn more.

bird nest building

Female scarlet tanagers choose a nesting site, usually high in the canopy of a deciduous tree. They collect nesting material and build the nest without assistance, although the males accompany the females to and from the site. Nest building is done in the morning and only takes a few days.

Incubation and rearing

Scarlet tanagers lay a clutch of three to five eggs per season. The female lays one egg per day and does all incubation and brooding after the egg hatches.

Female Scarlet Tanagers develop a brood area to maximize body heat transfer to growing embryos and chicks. The female usually provides most of the food, although she does get some help from a mate.

During the breeding season, males and females are very easy to distinguish as the males have striking red plumage

Can a female scarlet tanager raise her offspring alone?

Female scarlet tanagers are undoubtedly more involved when it comes to raising their offspring. But can they do it alone?

Female scarlet tanagers have a hard time feeding their chicks without help. Males will usually feed their mates while they incubate, although the amount of food they provide varies from individual to individual. However, the males do feed the chicks while the females are brooding.

common problem

What color is a female scarlet tanager?

Female scarlet tanagers don’t quite live up to their common name, despite their particular moniker (Olive Branch) very suitable. They are olive yellow overall, with darker wings and tails.

Do female scarlet tanagers bark?

Female scarlet tanagers sing frequently. Typical calls include the two-tone “Chick-burr,” the high-pitched chip call, and the in-flight chirp.

Can female scarlet tanagers sing?

Female scarlet tanagers are vocal birds during the breeding season, and their calls are very similar to the males. The female often sings in response to the male, and the pair may sing a raucous but melodious song back and forth several times.