| The male scarlet tanager displays a brilliancy of plumage almost unrivaled among North American birds. A summer resident of the more heavily wooded areas, it arrives in late April about the time the leaves are fast expanding to hide the bare branches.
Being strictly arboreal creatures of quiet demeanor, tanagers are not among the easiest birds to observe. They remain hidden, high overhead in a maze of leaves. But the characteristic song, sometimes mistaken for a rose-breasted grosbeak or even a robin, announces its presence. Even in full view against the bright sky, the bird often appears only in dark silhouette.
A good time to see tanagers is early in the season on cool mornings. Then, the insects, which comprise their food base, are most active and the birds are forced down.
It has been noted that the scarlet tanager seems to be the self-appointed guardian of the oak trees. The chief attraction is apparently the vast number of insects that feed upon them. It is safe to say that, of the hundreds of insects that eat the oaks, few escape the tanager's notice. A small percentage of wild fruits make up the balance of the tanager's bill-of-fare.
Length 7 inches
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