Hi sea island backyard birders! You may have seen a peculiar all-red bird in your yard and been confused when it wasn’t a cardinal. The summer tanager is the only completely red bird in North America and can be seen in the sea islands during the warmer months. This bird migrates to the southeast from South America and can be found in open woodlands and the tops of trees. While you may get lucky and see them fly through your yard, the best way to find tanagers is to use your Merlin Bird ID app on your phone in hopes of picking up their call. The summer tanager feeds primarily on bees and wasps but can also be found eating other insects and fruits. Like many songbirds, females have different coloration and appear in almost entirely mustard coloring. It seems entirely appropriate that they should be nicknamed the ketchup and mustard birds. Joining the likes of the blue grosbeak, indigo bunting, and painted bunting, one thing is for certain: there are plenty of colorful summer migrants to look out for in the Lowcountry.
Listen to the summer tanager call here
Find Merlin Bird ID here