Whatbird.com

Hi, I just signed in, and I need help with a bird ID. I live in Korea now, but I've been living in Brookline, MA for the past 2 1/2 years. And the bird I saw was in my backyard was scarlet red. It was standing under a bush, and not long after I could get a close look, it flew away. It was very bright red from head to toe, (Well, except the legs and feet, which were slaty gray) but a few of the flight feathers were black. Anything that came close to it was the scarlet tanager, but

Aren't they supposed to have all-black wings? (And even that's in the summer birds)

Aren't they supposed to be in their winter plumage by November?

Aren't they supposed to be in South America?

I'd appreciate any help or guess. Thanks!

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"You can cage a bird, but you cannot make him sing."
Andy

Yes, they have black wings. Females are not red so that rules them out.
I don't think November is too late to a Tanager in Brooklyn but almost all are in South America by then. It may have been a molting Male Scarlet Tanager or
maybe Summer Tanager, Northern Cardinal, or perhaps an exotic escaped bird.

 

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2008 Yard List: 126
Recent: White-winged Crossbill, Pine Siskin
Highlights: Hoary Redpoll, Golden Eagle, Fish Crow
2008 Year List: 197
Recent: Pine Siskin, Northern Gannet, Red-necked Grebe
Highlights: Cackling Goose, Black Vulture, Merlin

Dollars to donuts your bird was a northern cardinal, a common backyard bird in Massachusetts all year round.  Scarlet tanagers are considerably less common and very very unlikely to be in Massachusetts during the winter.

I live in Brookline, too, and I can almost guarantee you that you saw a cardinal. I saw a pair yesterday, and I see cardinals around almost every time I go out walking. Scarlet tanagers have been seen in the area -- I've yet to see one -- but not at this time of year (at leas that I'm aware of).

I can guarantee that it was not a cardinal. The bird wasn't crested (I understand that they don't always show their crest) and the wings were partly black and the face was red.

Not that I don't appreciate the other replies!

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"You can cage a bird, but you cannot make him sing."
Andy

Maybe a male Pine Grosbeak? I think they might be in your area.

Nancy

The bird looked exactly like the picture of the tanager in my Sibley except the things I mentioned. But pine grosbeak might be a possibility. The whatbird range map of the pine grosbeak says MA is slightly out of its range. But according to the Cornell Lab and Sibley guide maps, they live in MA. Assuming that they live here, are they common? What kind of habitat do they live in? (There is a hemlock/oak/pine forest close by) And what kind of habitat do the tanagers live in?

Maybe it was too chubby for a grosbeak. Do they turn as slender as a tanager when they don't have enough food or for some other reason? And I haven't heared of a grosbeak as bright red as a tanager. Is it possible? And the one I saw was solitary. don't pine grosbeaks hang out in flocks?

Also, is it possible to see a tanager molt this late in the year? Is it possible to see one this far north in November? Thanks.

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"You can cage a bird, but you cannot make him sing."
Andy

It's not possible a Scarlet Tanager would be red in January.

How about House Finch? 

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Joseph Morlan
Fall Birding Classes in San Francisco start October 28

It was the month of November, not January. And it wasn't the house (or purple) finch either. If it's not the tanager, then I'm leaning towards pine grosbeak. But again, can a grosbeak turn as slender and red, as the tanagers? How common are they? What habitat?

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"You can cage a bird, but you cannot make him sing."
Andy

We have had Vermillion flycatchers show up in Florida, don't know if this is possible, just a guess.

Allright, It can't be the Vermillion Flycatcher or the Scarlet Tanager as you just wouldn't see them in MA this time of year. (The Flycatcher you wouldn't find anytime of year in MA). Could be a Pine Grosbeak, but it isn't really scarlet red and doesn't fit your description very well, it does have dark wings though as well as a red face. And they are found alone sometimes, though more commonly in flocks. Another problem I have with the Grosbeak is that 'under a bush' isn't where you'd commonly see one. To me this sounds very much like a Northern Cardinal. They are very common year round in MA, and the lack of crest doesn't nullify it as a choice. It could be that because it was under a bush the shadows threw its colors off.

Thank you all... I'm now going for cardinal. Maybe it was the shadow that confused me...

Andy

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"You can cage a bird, but you cannot make him sing."
Andy

Hi Andy - I think you are right to go for cardinal - I have seen most as a nice red - but I did see one male once that was almost neon-y type red - but definatey a cardinal.   You may have happened upon a very healthy male who was really colored out - or a slight mutation in the color to make it more vibrant - but all else points to a cardinal & they do have a little crest too.