Western Tanager Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesWestern Tanager
Breeding male
Stocky songbirds noticeably larger and heavier-bodied than warblers. Breeding males are bright yellow with black wings and a flaming orange-red head. Note yellow shoulder and white wingbar.
© Simon Boivin / Macaulay LibraryQuebec, May 31, 2019Female
Medium-sized songbird with a thicker bill. Females are yellowish overall with dark wings marked by 2 wingbars.
© Brad Vissia / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, September 18, 2019Adult male
Quietly and methodically scans for insects and plucks them from twigs, branches, leaves, and flowers in the upper portions of forest trees and shrubs.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryArizona, May 01, 2006Nonbreeding male
Nonbreeding males look similar to breeding males, but have a yellow head that slowly becomes red as they molt into breeding plumage.
© Mike Defina 🦅 / Macaulay LibraryPennsylvania, March 16, 2020Female
Some females are paler than others. This female has pale grayish underparts and yellowish undertail coverts.
© Luke Seitz / Macaulay LibraryMaine, December 10, 2020Female
Female alone builds nest and incubates eggs.
© Darren Clark / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, May 25, 2019Female
Females are yellowish overall with a gray back and darker wings marked by 2 wingbars.
© Aaron Maizlish / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, September 28, 2015Immature male
Immature males have a scalloped-looking back. Head color varies from yellow to patchy red.
© Troy Corman / Macaulay LibraryArizona, June 07, 2017Adult male
Breeds in evergreen and mixed forests. During migration found in nearly any shrubby or wooded habitats, and even in fairly open country.
© John Drummond / Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 28, 2017Similar SpeciesHepatic Tanager
Female/immature male
Female/immature male Hepatic Tanagers have a heavier bill than Western Tanagers. They also have paler unmarked wings whereas female/nonbreeding male Westerns have darker wings with 2 wingbars.
© Chris Wood / Macaulay LibraryJinotega, February 26, 2016Similar SpeciesSummer Tanager
Immature male
Immature male Summer Tanagers can look similar to nonbreeding male Western Tanagers but, Summer Tanagers do not have wingbars while Western Tanagers do.
© Caitlin Best / Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 16, 2017Similar SpeciesSummer Tanager
Female
Female Summer Tanagers are yellow overall with plain wings whereas female/nonbreeding Western Tanagers have darker wings marked by 2 wingbars.
© Heather Pickard / Macaulay LibraryHeredia, February 16, 2008Similar SpeciesScarlet Tanager
Female
Scarlet Tanagers do not normally overlap with the range of Western Tanagers. Females do not have wingbars like female Western Tanagers.
© Mike V.A. Burrell / Macaulay LibraryOntario, May 15, 2016Similar SpeciesAmerican Goldfinch
Breeding male
Although American Goldfinches are yellow and black they are much smaller and daintier than Western Tanagers, with smaller bills and more slender proportions.
© David Carr / Macaulay LibraryWest Virginia, April 30, 2017Similar SpeciesBullock's Oriole
Female
Bullock's Orioles have thinner and pointier bills than Western Tanagers.
© Janey Woodley / Macaulay LibraryTexas, May 27, 2017Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Cardinals and Allies(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Cardinalidae)
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