Summer Tanagers are brightly colored songbirds that breed in the southeastern United States and spend the winter in tropical areas of Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. These birds sometimes visit bird feeders, but they are not regular feeder birds like chickadees or goldfinches.
What do Summer Tanagers eat?
Summer Tanagers mainly eat insects and other arthropods such as bees, wasps, beetles, dragonflies, spiders, and caterpillars. They also occasionally eat small fruits and berries. Summer Tanagers forage for food high up in trees, flying out from a perch to catch insects in mid-air or pluck them from leaves and branches. They use their slightly hooked bill to grab and crush bugs.
At bird feeders, Summer Tanagers are most likely to eat mealworms, live crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, and other larger insect offerings. They may sample small amounts of sliced fruits at feeders but insect protein is their primary diet. Summer Tanagers are not seed eaters and do not feed on birdseed, suet, or nectar mixes.
When and where are Summer Tanagers seen at feeders?
In their breeding range, Summer Tanagers are most likely to visit feeders from mid-spring through early summer while nesting and raising young. Theirappearance at feeders often coincides with the emergence of bees, wasps, dragonflies, butterflies, and other flying insects during warmer weather.
These birds can turn up at any feeder that offers live insects, but they are especially drawn to feeders placed in wooded areas near their nesting sites. Rural homes and properties adjacent to mature forests provide good habitat for breeding tanagers. Feeders positioned high up in trees or on second-story porches and decks are ideal for attracting them.
Tips for attracting Summer Tanagers to your yard:
- Offer mealworms, bees, crickets, grasshoppers
- Set up tall platform feeders in the canopy
- Try grape jelly on platform feeders
- Provide fruit on skewers or cut apples and oranges
- Position feeders near forest edges or wooded areas
- Keep feeders clean to prevent bee stings
What feeders and food attract Summer Tanagers?
Here are some of the best feeders and foods to offer Summer Tanagers:
Insect feeders
- Tray or platform feeders – Mealworms, live crickets
- Cage-style feeders – Mealworms, waxworms
- Bee guards – Draws in native bees, wasps
Fruit feeders
- Mesh fruit feeders – Oranges, grapes, berries
- Fruit skewers – Grapes, apple chunks
- Jelly feeders – Grape jelly
Special features that attract Summer Tanagers
- Tall pole system for canopy placement
- Insect escape-proof design
- Narrow feeding ports only large enough for insects
- Bright red color attractive to tanagers
When do Summer Tanagers migrate?
Summer Tanagers breed across the southeastern United States and up into eastern Kansas between April and August. Populations that nest farther north migrate earlier than southern populations. Here are the typical migration times:
- Early April – Arrive on breeding grounds in Deep South
- Mid-April – Arrive in middle southern states
- Late April – Arrive in mid-Atlantic and Midwest
- September – Begin migrating south from breeding areas
- October – Migration peaks across Gulf states
- November – Arrive on wintering grounds in tropics
A few Summer Tanagers may linger into October in the southernmost parts of their breeding range before migrating. But most clear out in September once insect numbers start to decline with cooler weather.
How else can I attract Summer Tanagers?
Here are some other methods to bring Summer Tanagers into your yard besides feeders:
- Plant native trees and shrubs that attract insects
- Provide a water source like a birdbath or mister
- Put up nest boxes suited for tanagers
- Avoid pesticide use which reduces their food supply
- Let dead snags and fallen branches remain for nest sites
- Install a tall canopy perch for scanning the skies
What is a Summer Tanager’s call and song?
Summer Tanagers have distinct vocalizations to communicate and defend territories. Calls are shorter and simpler while songs are more complex and melodic.
Common calls:
- Harsh “pit-a-tuck” or “pick-it” alarm or contact call
- Rolling “brrr” call given in flight
- Harsh “tek” calls at predators or when agitated
Song features:
- Series of 2 to 6 phrases with burry, buzzy tone
- Individual phrases are low-pitched and throaty
- Song ends with an upslurred, whistle-like note
- Sings from high exposed perches
- Sings more actively at dawn and dusk
The song of the Summer Tanager sounds similar to an American Robin but is less complex and melodic in structure. The burry, almost hoarse quality helps distinguish a Summer Tanager singing.
Do Summer Tanagers come to suet feeders?
Summer Tanagers are unlikely to visit traditional suet feeders. They prefer insects and fruits over the higher fat suet formulas designed to attract woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees. However, a new suet product called insect suet which contains mealworms, crickets, and waxworms embedded in a soft matrix may attract Summer Tanagers to suet cages.
Tips for trying suet to attract Summer Tanagers:
- Use insect suet rather than standard suet cakes
- Place suet in tail prop cages suited for tanagers
- Set suet feeders as high up as possible
- Start with live insects to train birds to use the feeder
- Pair suet with fruit offerings
While standard suet is hit-or-miss for tanagers, innovative insect suet products can potentially draw in these colorful insect-loving birds. Give it a try during spring and summer when tanagers are active and breeding.
Conclusion
Summer Tanagers are a real treat to see at your bird feeders. These brightly colored birds stand out in the canopy as they hunt for bees, wasps, and other flying insects. While not as common at feeders as true seed-eating birds, Summer Tanagers can be attracted with the right feeder placement, offering of preferred foods like mealworms and fruit, and careful feeder maintenance. With a little effort, you can enjoy watching Summer Tanagers visit your feeders during the spring and summer months before they migrate back to the tropics for winter.