Forest and Rangeland Birds of the United States
Natural History and Habitat Use
Western Tanager -- Piranga ludoviciana
RANGE: Breeds from southeastern Alaska, northern British Columbia, southern
Mackenzie, northern Alberta, and central Saskatchewan south to northern Baja California,
southern Nevada, southwestern Utah, central and southeastern Arizona, southern
New Mexico, and western Texas, and east to eastern Montana, western South Dakota,
northwestern Nebraska, central Colorado, and central New Mexico. Winters from
Baja California and central Mexico south to Central America.
STATUS: Common.
HABITAT: Generally inhabits relatively open, mature coniferous forests
up to 10,000 feet in elevation. Breeds less frequently in mixed forests and
in deciduous forests in the mountains, along rivers, or in gulches and canyons
at lower elevations.
NEST: Builds a shallow, compact, saucer-shaped nest, saddled in a fork
of a horizontal branch well out from the trunk. Usually locates nest in a coniferous
tree.
FOOD: Consumes insects gleaned from foliage or branches or caught while
hawking (about 82 percent of the diet) and fruits (about 18 percent).
REFERENCES: Beal 1907 in Bent 1958, Johnsgard 1979, Harrison 1979.
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