The Summer Tanager is common in Arizona’s riparian woodlands, desert washes, and cottonwood-lined streams, particularly in the southern part of the state. The male is an even, vivid red all over, while the female is yellow to olive-yellow. This species is known as the “bee bird” because it often catches bees and wasps midair, skillfully removing their stingers before eating them. Summer Tanagers arrive in Arizona from Mexico in spring and depart in early fall, their mellow, burry song often heard long before they are seen among the treetops.
Female