Piranga ludoviciana
Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
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 |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Western Tanager sighting in Rocky Mountain National Park on a given day, based on 1,783 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 36th most-seen of the 223 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and July
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Western Tanager in Rocky Mountain National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to April, the lowest months.
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.
11th of 45
Of the 45 parks where we can rate Western Tanager sightings, Rocky Mountain National Park ranks 11th at about 20%. 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.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Tanager is recorded against all the birds logged in Rocky Mountain National Park (1,783 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.
