By Sally Siko

Excited to see my first of the year, Scarlet Tanager this morning!
Actually spotted two males while birding in the woods behind my backyard. As usual, the pair was hunting for a snack in the upper branches of the trees, which didn’t offer any good photo opportunities.
That’s OK though, I was just happy to see them so close to home.

Scarlet Tanagers are known for their striking appearance with vibrant red plumage, which is most vivid in males during the breeding season.
Interestingly, despite their bright coloration, they can be elusive and difficult to spot (as was the case today) due to their habit of foraging high in the forest canopy.
They primarily feed on insects, but they also eat fruits and seeds, making them omnivores. That being said, their favorite food is bees. Wasps, hornets, bumble and Honeybees are prized snacks to these handsome red birds and they even have a way to eat them without getting stung.
Using their bill to hold the insect, the Tanager bashes the bee against a branch to crush it before they swallow it down.

Scarlet Tanagers are neotropical migrants, spending their winters in Central and South America before returning to their breeding grounds here in NC during the spring. They are most numerously found in deciduous forests the central and western part of the state but also show up in our eastern counties during migration.
Look for these beauties from now through early October.

By the way, I’ve added more than 80 new birding tour dates to my Best Life Birding trip schedule.
Check out the calendar below and book your next birding adventure with me today!

Photos by @sally_siko of @bestlife_birding on my mighty mirrorless monster, the @canonusa #R5