I70 THE CRIMSON-HEADED TANAGER. 



No. 69. 



CRIMSON-HEADED TANAGER. 



A. O. U. No. 607. Piranga ludoviciana ( Wils. ). 



S> nonyms. — Louisiana Tan.ager. Westkrn Tanagek. 



Description. — Adult male: Back, wings, and tail black; middle coverts 

 and tips of greater coverts yellow ; remaining plumage rich gamboge yellow ; 

 clearest (lemon-yellow) on rum]) and upper tail-coverts, darkest (live-yellow 

 to wax-yellow) on breast, changing on head and throat to bright carmine or 

 poppy-red. The red increases both in extent and intensity witli age and is 

 always brightest anteriorly. Bill horn color ; feet and legs bluish dusky ; iris 

 brown. Aditlt female: General plumage dingy olive-yellow; darker, nearly 

 olive, above; lighter and clearer on under tail-coverts; wings and tail dusky 

 with olivaceous wing markings as in male but yellow paler. Young males 

 resemble the advdt female and only gradually acquire the clearer brighter plumage 

 of maturity. Length about 7.00 ( 177.8); wing 3.75 (95J; tail 2.80 I 71); bill 

 .59 (15); tarsus .80 (20.5). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size ; sedate ways ; ['Ittie note. Black and 

 yellow with crimson head of male distinctive ; dull olive of female not likely to 

 be confused when size is discriminated. 



Nesting. — Nest: of rather rough, "'tropical" construction, composed of 

 twigs, rootlets and moss, lined with horse- or cow-hair; measures externally 

 7 inches across by 3 in depth, internally 2^ wide by 1 3/^ deep. Eggs: 3-5, 

 usually 4, pale greenish blue to deep blue, dotted and spotted sparingly with 

 lavender and dark greenish slate, sometimes in wreath about larger end ; surface 

 heavily glossed; long ovate in shape. \\. size .92 x .64 ( 23.3 x 16.2). Season: 

 June ; one brood. 



General Range. — \\'estcrn I'nited States from eastern base of Rocky Moun- 

 tains to Pacific Coast, northward to British Columbia and .\thabasca ; south in 

 winter to Mexico and Guatemala : straggling eastward during migrations — has 

 been several times taken in New England. 



Range in Washington. — Common summer resident in timbered sections, 

 migrant in open country of East-side. 



Migrations. — Spying: East-side: Yakima, May 4, 1906, May 9, 1900; 

 Chelan, May 19, 1896, May 20, 1905; West-side: Tacoma, April 27, 1906. 



Authorities. — Piranga ludoviciana L!onap. Baird, Rep. Pac. R. R. Surv. IX. 

 1858, p. 304. T. C&S. Rh. D'. Ra. D^ Ss'. Ss-\ Kk. J. B. E. 



Specimens.— U. of W. ?■. Prov. B. E. 



THIS handsome Tanager is one of the most characteristic birds of the 

 more open forest areas of Washington, whether east or west. It is one of 

 the three species discovered by tlie intrepid explorers, Lewis and Clark; and 

 since the Lewis Woodpecker bears the name of one, and the Clark Nutcracker 

 of the other, there was nothing for it but to call the Tanager after the region 



