Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-headed Tanager
Piranga erythrocephala
Red-headed Tanager (Piranga erythrocephala) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Red-headed Tanager (Piranga erythrocephala) is a member of the Cardinalidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 21.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Cardinalidae Cardinals & Allies
- Genus Piranga
- Species erythrocephala
Quick facts
- Weight
- 21.8 g
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Cardinalidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-headed Tanager is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-headed Tanager is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Red-headed Tanager (Piranga erythrocephala) is a member of the Cardinalidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA Mexico.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 21.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.1 cm and a tail of around 6.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 256,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-headed Tanager?
The Red-headed Tanager is a small bird that weighs around 21.8 g.
Where does the Red-headed Tanager live?
The Red-headed Tanager is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA Mexico, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Red-headed Tanager belong to?
The Red-headed Tanager (Piranga erythrocephala) belongs to the Cardinalidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Red-headed Tanager eat?
The Red-headed Tanager is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Red-headed Tanager migrate?
The Red-headed Tanager is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Red-headed Tanager endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Red-headed Tanager make?
1 real field recording of the Red-headed Tanager — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Red-headed Tanager's range?
The Red-headed Tanager has a mapped global range of about 256,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
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