One lucky Boulder resident saw a stunning Western Tanager perched on their backyard Neptune statue. Amazingly, he managed to snap a picture of the Western Tanager and Neptune chatting it up.

Western Tanager males are bright yellow and black, with orange-red heads. The majority of the plumage is yellow, with dark tails and two wing-bars on each wing. The dark markings on mature males are solid black, while females and juveniles have gray to brown markings. Each wing of a male has one white and one yellow wing-bar. On females, which are duller yellow than males, both wing-bars may be white, or one may be pale yellow. Males in their first year have little to no red on their heads. Western Tanager bills are medium in thickness, thinner than seed-eaters but thicker than insectivores.

Western Tanagers are most commonly found in open coniferous or mixed coniferous and broadleaf forests, but they can be found in a variety of habitats. They are common in forest openings and appear to prefer dry Douglas-fir forests. They can be seen in a wide range of habitats during migration, including suburban yards, grasslands, shrub-steppe, and orchards. Western Tanagers spend the winter in tropical pine-oak woodlands and shade-coffee plantations in Mexico and Central America.

Western Tanagers are treetop foragers that gather food from foliage and branches before flying out to catch aerial prey. Despite their bright colors, they are often inconspicuous and difficult to spot. They are most visible during migration and may be found in unusual habitats.

photo credit: Lenny Frieling

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