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Through a pair of binoculars, you examine Pennsylvania’s rich assortment of avian life.
Lately, your gaze fixes on flashes of crimson—the state’s dazzling red birds!
You thrill at the male Northern Cardinal’s fiery plumage and jaunty crest, a familiar backyard friend.
But scarlet stunners like the Summer Tanager and Purple Finch also wing through your memory, each bearing their own irresistible allure.
Now, field guide in hand, you’re ready to properly match names to these tantalizing RED BIRDS.
Eager eyes will discover even more to appreciate in their elaborate coloring, songs, and habits.
So venture forth and greet your fine, feathered red companions!
Table Of Contents
Key Takeaways
- Northern Cardinals and Purple Finches have bright red plumage and are present year-round in Pennsylvania.
- Summer Tanagers, Scarlet Tanagers, and Painted Buntings are red migratory songbirds that breed in Pennsylvania’s forests and woodlands.
- Common Redpolls and Red Crossbills, red finches, visit Pennsylvania in winter to forage on seeds and in conifer forests.
- Protecting native habitats like scrublands and dead trees is vital for the survival of red birds such as Painted Buntings and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.
Red Birds Spotted in Pennsylvania
You’re standing amidst the trees and brush when a flash of crimson catches your eye. These birds are more than just color in the landscape. The northern cardinal and house finch frequently visit your backyard feeders, sustaining themselves on a diet of sunflower seeds.
Come spring, scarlet tanagers arrive to feast on insects before departing in fall. Their red plumage blends into the changing foliage. You glimpse the elusive summer tanager in oak woodlands during the summer months.
Conservation of mature forests provides essential habitat for these rare sightings. Efforts to restore native plants also support red birds like the painted bunting. Though fleeting, these moments with vibrant red birds remind you of nature’s resilience.
Northern Cardinal
You may find the bright red northern cardinal cheering your garden this winter, as this common year-round resident freely visits platform feeders filled with sunflower seeds.
The northern cardinal is well-adapted to survive cold winters.
- It puffs its feathers to trap body heat.
- It builds well-insulated nests low in dense shrubs.
- It eats berries and seeds from your feeders to maintain energy stores.
Males sing at dawn throughout winter to mark territory and attract mates. Watch for courtship feeding of seeds as breeding season approaches. Enjoy the splash of color and song from this iconic backyard visitor all year long.
American Robin
Look out your window and you’ll see that familiar rusty red breast hopping around the lawn.
| Nesting Habits | Diet | Migration |
|---|---|---|
| Nests in tree branches, ledges, gutters | Worms, insects, berries | Short distance migrant |
| 2-3 broods per year | Prefers earthworms | Winters in southern US |
| 3-5 eggs per clutch | Also eats fruits |
These birds have a beautiful fluting song, and their populations remain stable. Though they may migrate south for winter, robins are a constant presence through spring and summer, busily pulling up worms from your lawn.
Scarlet Tanager
Hey friend, a rare Scarlet Tanager with firetruck red plumage brightens your woodlands during summer’s long days before migrating south when autumn winds blow. This tanager favors mature deciduous forests with tall trees for nesting. Its diet consists mainly of insects like bees, wasps, beetles, and moths plucked from branches high in the canopy.
Scarlet Tanagers breed in Pennsylvania between May and July, then leave for South America in late August. Their brilliant red color likely evolved to attract mates. Sadly, these tanagers suffer habitat loss as forests are cleared.
You can help by planting native trees and shrubs. Let’s preserve scarce breeding grounds so more birders can spot these jewels next summer.
Summer Tanager
The completely red male summer tanager favors open woodlands with oaks and hickories in Pennsylvania.
- Note the loud, robin-like songs in summer as he calls from treetops.
- Watch him hawk insects like bees, wasps, and dragonflies in flight.
- Spot his warm red plumage lighting up the green canopy.
- Listen for scolding ‘pit-a-tuck’ sounds when disturbed.
- Marvel at how he nearly disappears against red sunrises and sunsets.
These secretive songbirds migrate to Central and South America for winter. Conserving mature, open deciduous forests helps summer tanagers thrive. With luck, you may glimpse flashing red through the trees in summer. Let the sight stir your spirit like a flicker of ancient wildness.
Common Redpoll
Come winter, you’ll spot those tiny red-capped Common Redpolls flocking in the snow-dusted trees as rare winter migrants in Pennsylvania. Sporting a crimson forehead patch and pinkish-red stained plumage, this gregarious finch descends from subarctic conifers.
Foraging in flocks, they busily pluck seeds from birch, alder and weeds poking through winter’s cloak. Their bills may appear small, but they’re adapted for prying open cones and extracting seeds.
During winter wanderings, redpolls seek company – mingling with other northern finches like Pine Grosbeaks and White-winged Crossbills. Though populations fluctuate, redpolls remain a vibrant splash of color amid the quiet whites and grays of a Pennsylvania winter.
Their return each year offers an uplifting reminder that seasons cycle and life endures even through the coldest months.
Purple Finch
Lookin’ to spot those purplish-red colored songbirds with the notched tails in the evergreen forests, try offerin’ up some nyjer seeds to attract the Purple Finches.
- Purple Finches breed in coniferous or mixed forests across Canada.
- They mainly eat seeds, buds, and berries, including black oil sunflower seeds.
- Males are bright reddish-purple but females are much duller brown.
Males sing a pleasant warbling song and are more vocal in spring to defend territories. You’ll have the best luck finding Purple Finches from April through June when they’re breeding. Watch for the distinctive notched tail and reddish hue as they flutter down to grab some sunflower seeds from your feeder surrounded by spruce trees.
With a little patience you’ll get a glimpse of these subtly beautiful forest songbirds.
Red Crossbill
As we move from discussing the flamboyantly-hued Purple Finch, let’s train our binoculars on the peculiarly-billed Red Crossbill. Sporting crimson plumage from head to tail, this finch species exhibits a unique adaptation: bill tips that cross at their point of contact.
This allows Red Crossbills to efficiently pry open conifer cones and extract the seeds within. You’ll often hear their distinctive kip calls echoing through northern coniferous forests, where populations thrive on abundant spruce, hemlock, and pine.
Though irruptive in nature, declining conifer habitat across North America puts a conservation focus on this unusual bird.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Wouldn’t you love seein’ those red-headed woodpeckers hammerin’ away for peanuts at your feeder this winter? Those lively red-bellied woodpeckers brighten up the dullest winter day. They use their sturdy beaks to drill into trees searchin’ for insects, then gobble up your peanuts once at the feeder.
You’ll hear their rat-tat-tat as they excavate nest holes in dead trees come spring, males tryin’ to attract females.
Plantin’ snags and leavin’ dead trees helps give these birds proper nestin’ habitat. Draw them in with suet, peanuts, black oil sunflowers. Enjoy their drummin’, chiselin’, and flashes of crimson until the tanagers and orioles return next summer.
Leavin’ natural areas with oaks and hickories keeps their habitat intact so we can continue admirin’ these animated woodpeckers in our yards.
Painted Bunting
The Red-bellied Woodpecker may be a familiar bird of backyard feeders, but let’s shift our focus to a rarer species in Pennsylvania – the colorful Painted Bunting. You’re in for a real visual treat if you’re lucky enough to spot one. Though their habitat is declining, these vivid little songbirds still breed in some thickets and woodland edges in the southern part of the state.
Their diet consists mainly of seeds and insects. Favorites include grass seeds, thistle, sunflower seeds, beetles, and caterpillars.
The breeding season lasts from late April to July. The female builds an open cup nest low in a shrub.
The male’s brilliant plumage features red underparts, a blue head, and green back.
Due to habitat loss, their numbers have dwindled. Planting native bushes and protecting scrublands supports their survival.
They often nest in man-made habitats like overgrown fields, power line corridors, and revegetated mines.
Though elusive, keep an eye out for these tiny works of art. A sighting will brighten your day with their dazzling hues.
Conclusion
You’re fascinated to discover that Pennsylvania is home to such a dazzling array of magnificent red birds. The brilliant northern cardinal and snappy American robin are backyard fixtures, while the flashy scarlet tanager and elusive painted bunting are exotic summer treats.
The next time you’re out birding, keep your eyes peeled for these stunning red birds in Pennsylvania.
