Date: 9/19/26 9:29 am From: Suzanne Kent <surreykent...> Subject: [MBBIRDS] Westside SCruz Tanager update
Male all-red tanager observed again, perched on top of my suet feeder (watchful, not eating) then flew off into neighbor’s trees.
Plumage color is very consistent over entire bird, no evident grey cheek patch. So I identify it as Summer Tanager.
I would very much appreciate comments about color variation in this species, because of the sharp contrast between the duller red of this bird’s plumage compared to the intense tropical red and contrasting light-colored bill I observed in the past - at this same site, in late autumn or winter. I haven’t found description of Summer Tanager male winter plumage change, and this bird has none of the mixed yellow patches an immature male would have.
