ne THE SUMMER TANAGER. 
No. 49. 
SUMMER TANAGER. 
A. O. U. 610.. Piranga rubra (Linn.). 
Synonym.—SuMMER ReEpD-BIRD. 
Description.—Adult nmiale: Rosy vermilion, darker above (madder brown), 
lighter below ; wings dusky on exposed ends and unexposed inner webs; bill pale; 
feet darker. Adult female: Above orange, olive-green or olive-brown; lighter 
with large admixture of yellow below (often ochrey or saffron) ; wings dusky as 
in male; bill and feet pale. Young male: Like adult female, but brighter. The 
red of the maturing bird comes in patches, but without black anywhere. Lengtli 
7-50 (190.5) ; wing 3.70 (94.) ; tail 2.70 (68.6) ; bill, length .71 (18.), breadth at 
nostril .38 (9.7). 
Recognition Marks.—Sparrow to Chewink size; uniform red of male; olive 
and saffron of female; bill light, larger than P. erythromelas. 
Nest, usually a shallow and frail structure of bark-strips, leaves, and vege- 
table fibres, placed near extremity of horizontal limb, ten to thirty feet up. Eggs, 
3-4, light green or bluish white, dotted, spotted, and blotched with reddish or olive- 
browns. Av. size, .95 x .66 (24.1 x 16.8). 
General Range.—FE astern United States west to Plains, north to about lati- 
tude 40°, casually to Massachusetts and Ontario. South in winter to middle and 
aorthern South America. 
Range in Ohio.—Common summer resident in southern and southeastern, 
rare in middle, and casual in northern Ohio. 
ALTHO occasional at Columbus and casual anywhere, this Tanager 
is nearly confined to the southern third of the state. Here it is much more 
common than its black-winged relative and much more familiar, not hesi- 
tating to establish itself in orchard or shade trees, and frequently visiting city 
parks. Dr. Jones reports it as abundant near Circleville where it is nearly 
confined to woods-of oak and hickory. It seems to find an especially con- 
genial home in the wooded, broken hills which line the Ohio River and the 
major streams which flow into it. 
The scolding note of the summer Red-bird is such only in name, for no 
one could take offence at the mellow, mildly inquisitive pittwc or pitit-it-ituc 
with which the bird greets strangers. Its song, too, is not so sharp-edged 
as that of the Scarlet Tangler, altho the generic resemblance is quite marked, 
Consisting as it does of a succession of disconnected rolling phrases, it re- 
minds one also not a little of the song of the Red-eyed Vireo. 
The birds are very deliberate in movement, and give one the impression 
that they are taking a leisurely summer vacation and have plenty of time 
at their disposal. They are adroit, however, in catching insects on the wing, 
end do not shun the irksome duty of berry-picking. 
