Meet the Western tanner (Piranga ludoviciana): Male Western tanner has a bright red head, bright yellow body, and black wings. Female Western tanners are yellow-green on the top and yellow on the underside. Both males and females have two wing bars. The upper wing bar is yellow and the lower wing bar is white.

 

  Characteristics

The western tanager is 6-7 inches in length. The male western tanager has a bright red head, a bright yellow body and black wings. The female western tanager is greenish-yellow on top and yellow on her underside. Both the male and female have two wing bars. The top wing bar is yellow and the bottom one is white.

 

  Habitat

The western tanager breeds in open coniferous forests and mixed deciduous-coniferous forests. It can be found at elevations of up to 10,000 feet. It winters in open mountain pine woodlands and in parks and gardens.

  Diet

The western tanager eats fruits and insects. It forages for food in the trees and shrubs. They also catch insects in the air.

  Life Cycle

The female western tanager lays three to five eggs in a cup-shaped nest made of woven bark, grass, and weeds. The nest is placed in a fork of a tree. The female incubates the eggs. The eggs hatch in about two weeks. Both parents care for the chicks

  Behavior

The western tanager is a long-distance migrator. Every year it travels between its wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America to its breeding grounds in western North America.