Summer Tanager

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Summer Tanager in San Francisco?

Rare. Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Summer Tanager sighting in San Francisco on a given day, based on 536 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 219th most-seen of the 375 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Summer Tanager in San Francisco?

Any time of year. In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Summer Tanager in San Francisco on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Summer Tanager?

Between 8 and 11 am. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Summer Tanager sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Q: Is San Francisco the best place to see a Summer Tanager?

41st of 53. Of the 53 cities where we can rate Summer Tanager sightings, San Francisco ranks 41st at under 5%. The best odds are in Bogota (Colombia, about 30%), San José (Costa Rica, about 20%) and San Pedro Sula (Honduras, about 20%).

Q: Where does the Summer Tanager sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Summer Tanager is recorded against all the birds logged in San Francisco (536 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Piranga rubra

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyCardinalidae (Cardinals and Allies)
GenusPiranga (Piranga Tanagers)
SpeciesPiranga rubra (Summer Tanager)

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

at San Francisco

In 3 days <5%

536 Verified sightings at San Francisco

41,430 In all 81 parks From 2019 to 2026

September Best month

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Summer Tanager

The summer tanager (Piranga rubra) is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). The species's plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.

The summer tanager was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Fringilla rubra. Linnaeus based his description on the "summer red-bird" described and illustrated by Mark Catesby in his The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands which was published in 1729–1732. Catesby gave the location as Carolina, Linnaeus specified America; the type location is now South Carolina. The summer tanager is the type species of the genus Piranga that was introduced by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1808. The genus name Piranga is from Tupi Tijepiranga, the name for an unknown small bird; the specific rubra is from Latin ruber meaning "red".

Two subspecies are recognised: Adults have stout, pointed bills and measure 17 cm (6.7 in) in length... Wikipedia →

Sounds

Call0:19

Mexico · 2024

Subsong1:30

United States · 2023

Song0:39

United States · 2022

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Our parks where it lives Our cities where it livesIn captivity: 3 zoos & centres

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~40%
2	Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary	🇧🇿 Belize	~40%
3	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~40%
4	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~40%
5	Chagres National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
6	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
7	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~30%
8	Congaree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~30%
9	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
10	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
11	Chirripó National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
12	Cusuco National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~30%
13	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~30%
14	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
15	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
16	El Triunfo	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
17	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
18	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
19	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
20	Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
21	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
22	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
23	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
24	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
25	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
26	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
27	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
28	Poás Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
29	Big Bend National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~20%
30	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
31	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
32	Farallones de Cali National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
33	La Tigra National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
34	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
35	San Lorenzo Protected Forest	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
36	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
37	Celaque National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
38	Darién National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~20%
39	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
40	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	~20%
41	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
42	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
43	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
44	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
45	Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
46	Los Quetzales National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
47	Utría National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
48	Volcán Barú National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
49	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
50	Guadalupe Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
51	Zion National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
52	Sierra de la Macarena National Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
53	Cumbres de Monterrey National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
54	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~10%
55	Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
56	Saguaro National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%
57	Podocarpus National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
58	Los Nevados National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
59	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
60	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
61	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	<5%
62	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
63	Point Pelee National Park	🇨🇦 Canada	<5%
64	Death Valley National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
65	El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
66	Great Smoky Mountains National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
67	Grand Canyon National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
68	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
69	Irazú Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	<5%
70	Chingaza National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	<5%
71	Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
72	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
73	Big Cypress National Preserve	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
74	Joshua Tree National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
75	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	<5%
76	Ciénaga de Zapata	🇨🇺 Cuba	<5%
77	Shenandoah National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
78	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	<5%
79	Acadia National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
80	Channel Islands National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%
81	Rocky Mountain National Park	🇺🇸 United States	<5%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Bogota	🇨🇴 Colombia	~30%
2	San José	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
3	San Pedro Sula	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
4	Medellín	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%
5	Mexico City	🇲🇽 México	~20%
6	Toluca	🇲🇽 México	~20%
7	Puebla	🇲🇽 México	~20%
8	Quito	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~20%
9	Guatemala City	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~20%
10	Cali	🇨🇴 Colombia	~20%

Zoos & Centres Where Found

#	Zoo / Centre	Country
1	Aviario Nacional de Colombia	🇨🇴 Colombia	In captivity
2	Alameda Park Zoo	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity
3	Dallas World Aquarium	🇺🇸 United States	In captivity

Closest Relatives at San Francisco

Piranga ludoviciana

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Piranga olivacea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pheucticus melanocephalus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Passerina amoena

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Pheucticus ludovicianus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Passerina ciris

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Passerina caerulea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Passerina cyanea

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely

Haemorhous mexicanus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Sayornis nigricans

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Melozone crissalis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Summer Tanager in San Francisco?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Summer Tanager sighting in San Francisco on a given day, based on 536 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 219th most-seen of the 375 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Summer Tanager in San Francisco?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Summer Tanager in San Francisco on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Summer Tanager?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Summer Tanager sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is San Francisco the best place to see a Summer Tanager?

41st of 53

Of the 53 cities where we can rate Summer Tanager sightings, San Francisco ranks 41st at under 5%. The best odds are in Bogota (Colombia, about 30%), San José (Costa Rica, about 20%) and San Pedro Sula (Honduras, about 20%).

Where does the Summer Tanager sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Summer Tanager is recorded against all the birds logged in San Francisco (536 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to San Francisco

Summer Tanager

About the Summer Tanager

Sounds

Recent sightings of Summer Tanager in San Francisco

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Zoos & Centres Where Found

Closest Relatives at San Francisco

Western Tanager

Scarlet Tanager

Black-headed Grosbeak

Lazuli Bunting

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Painted Bunting

Blue Grosbeak

Indigo Bunting

American Crow

House Finch

Black Phoebe

California Towhee

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Summer Tanager in San Francisco?

When is the best time to see a Summer Tanager in San Francisco?

What time of day is best to see a Summer Tanager?

Is San Francisco the best place to see a Summer Tanager?

Where does the Summer Tanager sighting chance come from?