You’re squinting into the oak canopy, neck aching, following a repetitive, buzzy song that sounds like a robin with a sore throat. Then you see it. A flash of red so intense it looks like it’s glowing against the deep green leaves. But it isn't just red. Those wings are ink-black. That's the Scarlet Tanager, the most famous black winged red bird in North America, and honestly, seeing one feels like a small miracle every single time.
Most people go their whole lives without seeing one. It’s weird, right? They aren't exactly rare, but they are experts at staying hidden. They live high up. Like, way up. They prefer the very top of the forest canopy, where they hunt bees, wasps, and beetles while you're stuck on the ground looking at pigeons.
What People Get Wrong About the Scarlet Tanager
When someone says they saw a "red bird with black wings," they usually mean a Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea). But there's a catch. If you see a red bird in the winter, it’s almost certainly not this one. These guys are Neotropical migrants. They spend their winters in the Andean foothills of South America—think Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia—and only fly up to the eastern United States and Canada to breed.
It's a brutal trip.
They cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single flight. Think about that for a second. A bird that weighs about as much as two AA batteries flying over open water for 18 to 24 hours straight.
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A common mistake? Confusing them with Northern Cardinals. It happens. But look at the head. No crest? Not a cardinal. Look at the beak. It's thick, pale, and slightly hooked at the end, perfect for crushing the exoskeletons of insects. Cardinals have those heavy, seed-cracking cones. Also, cardinals have red wings. The Scarlet Tanager is very specific: blood-red body, jet-black wings, jet-black tail.
The Identity Crisis of the Female and Juvenile
Nature is rarely symmetrical or "fair" when it comes to plumage. While the male is a neon billboard for attention, the female is... well, she’s yellow. Or olive-green. Basically, she’s the color of a sun-dappled leaf. This is brilliant for camouflage while she’s sitting on a nest, but it makes her incredibly hard to spot for casual birders.
And then there's the "molting" phase.
In the late summer, the males lose their flashy red feathers. They turn into a patchy, blotchy mess of yellow and green with black wings. If you see a bird that looks like a tie-dyed lemon with black sleeves, you’ve found a male Scarlet Tanager in transition. It’s not pretty. Honestly, it looks a bit like the bird is recovering from a rough night.
Where to Actually Find a Black Winged Red Bird
You won't find these birds in a suburban parking lot. They are "forest interior" specialists. This means they need large, unbroken tracts of deciduous forest. If a forest gets fragmented by roads or housing developments, the Scarlet Tanagers are the first to leave.
Why? Because of the Brown-headed Cowbird.
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Cowbirds are "brood parasites." They don't build their own nests. Instead, they sneak into a tanager’s nest, kick out an egg, and lay their own. The tanager, apparently not great at math, raises the giant cowbird chick while its own babies starve. In small patches of woods, cowbirds have easy access. In deep, dark forests, the tanagers have a fighting chance.
If you want to see one, head to a state park or a national forest between May and August. Look for mature oaks. They love oaks. They eat the caterpillars that live on them and use the high branches as lookout points.
The Summer Tanager: The Red One Without the Black
I have to mention the Summer Tanager because people mix them up constantly. The Summer Tanager is strawberry-red all over—wings, tail, everything. No black. They live further south and have a weird obsession with bees. They’ll actually sit outside a beehive, catch a bee in mid-air, and rub it against a branch to remove the stinger before eating it.
Scarlet Tanagers do this too, but they're a bit more generalist in their diet. They’ll take down a dragon-fly or a moth with zero hesitation.
Why Their Population is a Warning Sign
The presence of the black winged red bird is a litmus test for habitat health. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, while their numbers are currently stable, they are extremely vulnerable to habitat loss on both ends of their journey. If the shade-grown coffee plantations in South America disappear, the tanagers lose their winter home. If the Appalachian forests get carved up for strip malls, they lose their summer home.
It’s a fragile existence.
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They are also frequent victims of window strikes. Because they live high in the trees, they don't encounter glass often. When they migrate through cities at night, the bright lights disorient them, and they crash into skyscrapers.
How to Spot One This Weekend
Don't just walk through the woods looking. Listen. You have to learn the song.
As I mentioned earlier, it sounds like a robin with a sore throat. It’s a series of four or five chirps that are slightly raspy. Once you hear it, look at the highest branches. Don't look for a bird; look for a "glow." That red is so vibrant it often stands out even when the bird is mostly obscured by leaves.
- Get good binoculars. 8x42 is the standard for a reason. You need the light-gathering power when you’re looking into dark leaf clusters.
- Go early. 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM is the "magic hour." That’s when they’re most active and vocal. By noon, they’re usually napping in the shade.
- Use an app. Download Merlin Bird ID. It has a "Sound ID" feature that can listen to the woods and tell you if a Scarlet Tanager is nearby. It’s basically magic for birders.
- Plant an Oak. If you have the space, an Oak tree is a literal buffet for these birds. It might take twenty years, but you’re building a future home for a weary traveler.
Actionable Steps for the Aspiring Birder
If you're serious about finding this elusive black winged red bird, stop looking at the ground. Most people walk with their eyes at eye-level. The world of the tanager is 40 feet up.
- Check eBird: This is a website where birders log sightings. Search for "Scarlet Tanager" in your county to see exactly where they've been spotted in the last 48 hours.
- Visit "Migrant Traps": If you live near a large body of water (like the Great Lakes), look for small woodlots along the shore. Birds crossing the water get exhausted and "fall out" into the first trees they see. This is the best chance to see them at eye level.
- Buy Shade-Grown Coffee: Look for the "Bird Friendly" certification on your coffee beans. This ensures the farms where the coffee is grown maintain the forest canopy that tanagers need to survive the winter.
Seeing a Scarlet Tanager isn't just about checking a box on a list. It’s a reminder that there is still some wild, neon-colored magic left in the deep woods, provided we’re quiet enough to hear it and careful enough to keep the trees standing.