Piranga ludoviciana
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
The western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), it and other members of its genus are classified in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). The species' plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.
The western tanager was illustrated and formally described by American ornithologist Alexander Wilson in 1811 under the binomial name Tanagra ludoviciana from a specimen collected on the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806). The type locality is Kamiah, Idaho. The specific epithet is from the Late Latin ludovicianus for "Louis". The name is from Louisiana, the 18th-century French administrative district of New France, rather than the modern state. The western tanager is now placed in the genus Piranga that was introduced by French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1808. The species is monotypic; no subspecies are recognized.
Measurements: Length: 6.3–7.5 in (16–19 cm) Weight: 0.8–1.3 oz (24–36 g) Wingspan: 11.5 in (29 cm) Adults have pale, stout pointed bills, yellow underparts, and light wing bars. Adult males have a bright red face and... Wikipedia →
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Puebla | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Guadalajara | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 3 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 4 | Guatemala City | 🇬🇹 Guatemala | |
| 5 | Tijuana | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 6 | San Salvador | 🇸🇻 El Salvador | |
| 7 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Salt Lake City | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Tanager sighting in Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 76th most-seen of the 103 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Tanager in Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca on a given day, against under 5% in March, May, October and December–January, the lowest months. Those are among Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca's driest months, with about 35 mm of rain a month against 270 mm in July. April and June–September have too few records to rate.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western 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.
23rd of 45
Of the 45 parks where we can rate Western Tanager sightings, Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca ranks 23rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Grand Teton National Park (United States, about 40%), Yosemite National Park (United States, about 40%) and Glacier National Park (United States, about 40%). All parks ranked.
Same genus: Piranga
The closest relatives of the Western Tanager that you can see in Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca (genus Piranga, Piranga Tanagers) are Hepatic Tanager (about 30%) and Summer Tanager (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Tanager is recorded against all the birds logged in Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca (11 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
