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Summer Tanager

 
Summer Tanager

 
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The Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra, is a medium-sized songbird
Songbird

A songbird or oscine is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of Passerine , in which the syrinx is developed in such a way as to produce various sound notes, commonly known as bird song....
. It was usually considered a fairly typical kind of tanager
Tanager

The tanagers are a family , Thraupidae, of birds in the order Passeriformes. The family has an Americas distribution.There were traditionally about 240 species of tanagers, but the taxonomic treatment of this family's members is currently in a state of flux....
 and placed in the Thraupidae, but is more likely a relative of the cardinals (Cardinalidae).

Their breeding habitat is open wooded areas, especially with oaks, across the southern United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. These birds migrate
Bird migration

Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather....
 to Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
, Central America
Central America

Central America is a central geography region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmus portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast....
 and northern South America
South America

South America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere....
. This tanager is an extremely rare vagrant to western Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
.

Adults have stout pointed bills.






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Encyclopedia


The Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra, is a medium-sized songbird
Songbird

A songbird or oscine is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of Passerine , in which the syrinx is developed in such a way as to produce various sound notes, commonly known as bird song....
. It was usually considered a fairly typical kind of tanager
Tanager

The tanagers are a family , Thraupidae, of birds in the order Passeriformes. The family has an Americas distribution.There were traditionally about 240 species of tanagers, but the taxonomic treatment of this family's members is currently in a state of flux....
 and placed in the Thraupidae, but is more likely a relative of the cardinals (Cardinalidae).

Their breeding habitat is open wooded areas, especially with oaks, across the southern United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
. These birds migrate
Bird migration

Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather....
 to Mexico
Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federalism constitutionalism republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of Mexico....
, Central America
Central America

Central America is a central geography region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmus portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast....
 and northern South America
South America

South America is the southern continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere....
. This tanager is an extremely rare vagrant to western Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
.

Adults have stout pointed bills. Adult males are rose red; females are orangish on the underparts and olive on top, with olive-brown wings and tail.

These birds are often out of sight, foraging high in trees, sometimes flying out to catch insects in flight. They mainly eat insects, especially bee
Bee

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants. Bees are a monophyly lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila....
s and wasp
WAsP

WAsP is a PC program for predicting wind climates, wind resources, and power productions from wind turbines and wind farms. The predictions are based on wind data measured at stations in the same region....
s, and berries. Notably, fruit of Cymbopetalum mayanum (Annonaceae
Annonaceae

Annonaceae family, also called custard apple familyis a family of flowering plants consisting of trees, shrubs or rarely woody lianas.With about 2300 to 2500 species and more than 130 genera,...
) are a well-liked food in the winter quarters, and birds will forage in human-altered habitat. Consequently, these trees can be planted to entice them to residential areas, and they may well be attracted to bird feeder
Bird feeder

A birdfeeder, bird feeder, or bird table is a device placed out-of-doors to supply bird food to birds. The success of a bird feeder in attracting birds depends upon its placement and the kinds of seeds offered, as different species have different preferences....
s. Summer Tanagers build a cup nest on a horizontal tree branch.

Song & Calls

The Summer Tanager has an American Robin
American Robin

The American Robin, Turdus migratorius, is a bird migration songbird of the true thrush family. It is named after the European Robin because of the male's bright red breast, though the two species are not closely related....
-like song, similar enough that novices sometimes mistake this bird for that species. The song consists of melodic units, repeated in a constant stream. The Summer Tanager's song, however, is much more monotonous than that of T. migratorius, often consisting of as few as 3 or 4 distinct units. It is clearer and less nasal than the song of the Scarlet Tanager
Scarlet Tanager

The Scarlet Tanager is a medium-sized Americas songbird. Traditionally placed in the tanager family it is now thought to be much closer to cardinals ....
.

The Summer Tanager also has a sharp, agitated-sounded call pi-tuk or pik-i-tuk-i-tuk.

External links


Further reading


Book


  • Robinson, W. D. 1996. Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra). In The Birds of North America, No. 248 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, D.C.


Thesis


  • Aborn DA. Ph.D. (1996). Habitat selection, movement, and activity budgets of neotropical landbird migrants following trans-Gulf migration. The University of Southern Mississippi, United States -- Mississippi.


  • Marcum HA. Ph.D. (2005). The effects of human disturbance on birds in Bastrop State Park. Texas A&M University, United States -- Texas.


  • Shy E. Ph.D. (1982). EVOLUTION OF SONGS IN NORTH AMERICAN TANAGERS (THRAUPINAE: PIRANGA). Wayne State University, United States -- Michigan.


Articles


  • Aborn DA & Froehlich D. (1995). An observation of a Summer Tanager attempting to eat an Anolis lizard. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 66, no 4. p. 501-502.


  • Aborn DA & Moore FR. (1997). Pattern of movement by summer tanagers (Piranga rubra) during migratory stopover: A telemetry study. Behaviour. vol 134, no 13-14. p. 1077-1100.


  • Aborn DA & Moore FR. (2004). Activity budgets of Summer Tanagers during spring migratory stopover. Wilson Bulletin. vol 116, no 1. p. 64-68.


  • Behle WH. (1976). Mojave Desert Avi Fauna in the Virgin River Valley of Utah Nevada and Arizona USA. Condor. vol 78, no 1. p. 40-48.


  • Beltran-S JW & Naranjo-H LG. (1988). Additions to the Avifauna of Gorgona Island Colombia. Lozania. vol 56, p. 1-7.


  • Brauning DW, Brittingham MC, Gross DA, Leberman RC, Master TL & Mulvihill RS. (1994). Pennsylvania breeding birds of special concern: A listing rational and status update. Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science. vol 68, no 1. p. 3-28.


  • Brunton D. (1967). 1st Record of the Summer Tanager in Ottawa Ontario Canada Piranga-Rubra. Canadian Field Naturalist. vol 81, no 4.


  • Caine LA & Marion WR. (1991). Artificial Addition of Snags and Nest Boxes to Slash Pine Plantations. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 62, no 1. p. 97-106.


  • Christianson L. (1972). Another Summer Tanager Record. Loon. vol 44, no 2. p. 57-58.


  • Conner RN & Dickson JG. (1997). Relationships between bird communities and forest age, structure, species composition and fragmentation in the West Gulf Coastal Plain. Texas Journal of Science. vol 49, no 3 SUPPL. p. 123-138.


  • Eisenmann E. (1969). Wing Formula as a Means of Distinguishing Summer Tanager Piranga-Rubra from Hepatic Tanager Piranga-Flava. Bird Banding. vol 40, no 2. p. 144-145.


  • Harris B. (1987). Summer Tanager in Deuel County South Dakota USA. South Dakota Bird Notes. vol 39, no 3. p. 68-69.


  • Howe HF & De Steven D. (1979). Fruit Production Migrant Bird Visitation and Seed Dispersal of Guarea-Glabra in Panama. Oecologia
    Oecologia

    Oecologia is an international peer review English language journal that publishes original research into topics related to ecology. As of 2005 it had an impact factor of 3.032, giving it a ranking of 24 among ecology journals....
    . vol 39, no 2. p. 185-196.


  • Hubbard JP. (1975). Eastern Summer Tanager in New-Mexico USA. Southwestern Naturalist. vol 20, no 3. p. 420-421.


  • Janssen RB. (1972). Summer Tanager at Detroit Lakes. Loon. vol 44, no 2.


  • Kilgo JC, Sargent RA, Miller KV & Chapman BR. (1997). Landscape influences on breeding bird communities in hardwood fragments in South Carolina. Wildlife Society Bulletin. vol 25, no 4. p. 878-885.


  • Kroodsma RL. (1982). Bird Community Ecology on Power Line Corridors in East Tennessee USA. Biological Conservation. vol 23, no 2. p. 79-94.


  • Kroodsma RL. (1984). Effect of Edge on Breeding Forest Bird Species. Wilson Bulletin. vol 96, no 3. p. 426-436.


  • LaRue CT, Dickson LL, Brown NL, Spence JR & Stevens LE. (2001). Recent bird records from the Grand Canyon region, 1974-2000. Western Birds. vol 32, no 2. p. 101-118.


  • Leberg PL, Spengler TJ & Barrow WC, Jr. (1996). Lipid and water depletion in migrating passerines following passage over the Gulf of Mexico. Oecologia
    Oecologia

    Oecologia is an international peer review English language journal that publishes original research into topics related to ecology. As of 2005 it had an impact factor of 3.032, giving it a ranking of 24 among ecology journals....
    . vol 106, no 1. p. 1-7.


  • McNair DB. (1996). Late breeding records of a red-headed woodpecker and a summer tanager in Florida. Florida Field Naturalist. vol 24, no 3. p. 78-80.


  • Moore FR & Aborn DA. (1996). Time of departure by summer tanagers (Piranga rubra) from a stopover site following spring trans-gulf migration. Auk. vol 113, no 4. p. 949-952.


  • Perez-Rivera RA. (1997). The importance of vertebrates in the diet of tanagers. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 68, no 2. p. 178-182.


  • Powell BF & Steidl RJ. (2002). Habitat selection by riparian songbirds breeding in southern Arizona. Journal of Wildlife Management. vol 66, no 4. p. 1096-1103.


  • Prather JW & Smith KG. (2003). Effects of tornado damage on forest bird populations in the Arkansas ozarks. Southwestern Naturalist. vol 48, no 2. p. 292-297.


  • Prescott KW. (1974). Summer Tanager Southern Range Extension in Chile. Auk. vol 91, no 3. p. 617-618.


  • Purdy J. (1986). A Summer Tanager in Manitoba Canada. Blue Jay. vol 44, no 3. p. 184-186.


  • Rosenberg KV, Ohmart RD & Anderson BW. (1982). Community Organization of Riparian Breeding Birds Response to an Annual Resource Peak. Auk. vol 99, no 2. p. 260-274.


  • Sewell J. (1994). Early summer Tanager sighting in DeKalb County. Oriole. vol 59, no 1. p. 24-25.


  • Shepherd TM & Burns KJ. (2007). Intraspecific genetic analysis of the summer tanager Piranga rubra: implications for species limits and conservation. Journal of Avian Biology. vol 38, no 1. p. 13-27.


  • Shy E. (1985). Songs of Summer Tanagers Piranga-Rubra Structure and Geographical Variation. American Midland Naturalist. vol 114, no 1. p. 112-124.


  • Skagen SK, Melcher CP, Howe WH & Knopf FL. (1998). Comparative use of riparian corridors and oases by migrating birds in southeast Arizona. Conservation Biology. vol 12, no 4. p. 896-909.


  • Somershoe SG, Twedt DJ & Reid B. (2006). Combining breeding bird survey and distance sampling to estimate density of migrant and breeding birds. Condor. vol 108, no 3. p. 691-699.


  • Spengler TJ, Leberg PL & Barrow WC, Jr. (1995). Comparison of condition indices in migratory passerines at a stopover site in coastal Louisiana. Condor. vol 97, no 2. p. 438-444.


  • Wakeley JS & Roberts TH. (1996). Bird distributions and forest zonation in a bottomland hardwood wetland. Wetlands. vol 16, no 3. p. 296-308.


  • Walley WJ. (1993). Summer tanager at Dauphin, Manitoba. Blue Jay. vol 51, no 1. p. 47-48.


  • Weise CM. (1969). Summer Tanager in Ozaukee County Wisconsin USA. Passenger Pigeon. vol 31, no 1.


  • White DH, Chapman BR, Brunjes JH, Raftovich RV & Seginak JT. (1999). Abundance and reproduction of songbirds in burned and unburned pine forests of the Georgia Piedmont. Journal of Field Ornithology. vol 70, no 3. p. 414-424.


  • Wilkinson J. (1977). 1st Record of a Summer Tanager in Saskatchewan. Blue Jay. vol 35, no 2. p. 87-88.


  • Woodliffe PA. (1988). Further Evidence for the Breeding of the Summer Tanager in Canada. Ontario Birds. vol 6, no 3. p. 108-110. -->