The western is the only regular North American tanager with wing bars. Note its yellow underwing linings in flight. Its bill is small for a Piranga, larger in size than the scarlet’s ...

Western tanagers are fiery, eye-catching fliers. “Is this scarlet tanager’s interesting plumage (above) because of age or a seasonal thing?” asks Birds & Blooms reader Nancy Tully.

Hepatic tanagers get their name from the male’s liverlike coloring. In addition to the scarlet, summer, western and hepatic, a fifth type of tanager is a rare visitor. The flame-colored tanager ...