Scarlet Tanager - Piranga olivacea

Scarlet Tanager has a partial preformative molt and incomplete (first cycle) or partial (later cycles) prealternate molts, which generally permit for reliable ageing. Sex can usually be readily determined by plumage throughout the year.

Quick tips

• Examine the median and greater coverts - FCF/FCA (HY/SY) birds have distinct molt limits within or between these feather tracts (dark olive vs. grayish on females; black vs. grayish-green on males), whereas they are uniform on DCB/DCA (AHY/ASY) individuals.
• Check the tail - on FCF (HY) birds the rectrices are generally narrow and relatively pointed, on DCB/DCA (AHY/ASY) birds they are broad and rounded, and on FCA (SY) birds, there is often a mix of narrow (juvenile) and broad (alternate) feathers, although in some cases the entire tail is replaced during the prealternate molt.
• Consider the overall plumage - any individuals with red or black are males.
• In fall, look at the iris under good light - it is grayish to grayish brown on FCF (HY) birds, and dark brown to blackish on DCB (AHY) birds.

Species account prepared by McGill Bird Observatory (2016). Last updated by Marcel Gahbauer (Mar 2022)