Western Tanager

Comment by Penny Bauer on May 11, 2011 at 8:41pm

How I'd love to see one of these! Great shot!

Comment by Robert Martinez on May 11, 2011 at 10:01pm

They seem to really be really bright this breeding season!!

Comment by Pat Gaines on May 12, 2011 at 1:46am

Beautiful tanager! He's got a really red head!

Comment by DL Harris on May 12, 2011 at 6:58am

What a beauty!

Comment by Beverly on May 14, 2011 at 9:34am

You know that lovely red color comes from a certain bug they eat.  This Tanager cannot produce it's own red, so the redder the face, the more available are these bugs.  I don't remember the bug, but wouldn't it be grand if it were Box Elder Bugs (AKA Adobe Bugs.)

Comment by Penny Bauer on May 14, 2011 at 10:33am

Thanks, Beverly!  I love learning new things.  Looked up the pigment, rhodoxanthin, responsible for the color.  Found in several plants, including yew, and accumulated by bugs, which also cannot synthesize it.

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