Scarlet Tanager
Scarlet TanagerScarlet TanagerScarlet TanagerScarlet Tanager

Scarlet Tanager

Piranga olivacea

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
951 Verified records at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea) is a medium-sized American songbird in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). Until 2009, it was placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), but it and other members of its genus have since been classified as belonging to the cardinal family . Breeding males have bright red plumage with black wings and tails, while females are yellow-olive. Outside the breeding season, males develop plumage similar to that of females, although their wings and tails remain darker. The species breeds mainly in large deciduous forests in eastern North America. It migrates through Central America to spend the winter in forests along the Andean foothills of northwestern South America. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Scarlet Tanager sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 951 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Western Tanager
LC

Western Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Piranga ludoviciana

Insufficient data
Summer Tanager
LC

Summer Tanager

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Piranga rubra

<5% · Rare
Northern Cardinal
LC Endemic

Northern Cardinal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cardinalis cardinalis

70–80% · Very likely
Indigo Bunting
LC

Indigo Bunting

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina cyanea

20–30% · Possible
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
LC

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pheucticus ludovicianus

5–10% · With luck
Blue Grosbeak
LC

Blue Grosbeak

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passerina caerulea

5–10% · With luck
Dickcissel
LC

Dickcissel

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spiza americana

Insufficient data
American Crow
LC

American Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus brachyrhynchos

70–80% · Very likely
Carolina Wren
LC

Carolina Wren

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thryothorus ludovicianus

70–80% · Very likely
Carolina Chickadee
LC Endemic

Carolina Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile carolinensis

70–80% · Very likely
American Robin
LC Endemic

American Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus migratorius

60–70% · Likely
Tufted Titmouse
LC

Tufted Titmouse

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Baeolophus bicolor

60–70% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
10–20
Apr
30–40
May
20–30
Jun
10–20
Jul
5–10
Aug
10–20
Sep
5–10
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Scarlet Tanager in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

About 13% of wildlife watchers report a Scarlet Tanager sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, based on 951 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Scarlet Tanager in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Scarlet Tanager in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Great Smoky Mountains National Park