Adolescence
La Ceja, Colombia; Central Andes; 2.300 meters above sea level.
Piranga rubra -juvenile male-
(Summer tanager / Piranga abejera)
A young male in transitional plumage to adult. Young males acquiring adult plumage are patched with red and yellow.
The only completely red bird in North America, the strawberry-colored male Summer Tanager is an eye-catching sight against the green leaves of the forest canopy. The mustard-yellow female is harder to spot, though both sexes have a very distinctive chuckling call note. Fairly common during the summer, these birds migrate as far as the middle of South America each winter.
Adolescence
La Ceja, Colombia; Central Andes; 2.300 meters above sea level.
Piranga rubra -juvenile male-
(Summer tanager / Piranga abejera)
A young male in transitional plumage to adult. Young males acquiring adult plumage are patched with red and yellow.
The only completely red bird in North America, the strawberry-colored male Summer Tanager is an eye-catching sight against the green leaves of the forest canopy. The mustard-yellow female is harder to spot, though both sexes have a very distinctive chuckling call note. Fairly common during the summer, these birds migrate as far as the middle of South America each winter.