IIO THE SUMMER TANAGER. 



No. 49. 



SUMMER TANAGER. 



A. O. U. 610. Piranga rubra (Linn.). 



Synonym. SUMMER RED-BIRD. 



Description. Adult male: 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. Length 

 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. Eastern United States west to Plains, north to about lati- 

 tude 40, casually to Massachusetts and Ontario. South in winter to middle and 

 northern 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 pittuc or pitit-it-ituc 

 with which the bird greets strangers. Its song, too, is not so sharp-edged 

 as that of the Scarlet Tangier, 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, 

 and do not shun the irksome duty of berry-picking. 



