West · Pacific Flyway

Are There Summer Tanagers in California?

Piranga rubra — Cardinalidae

RareAbundance
Year-round residentSeasonal status
12Active months
11,734Observations

Is the Summer Tanager Found in California?

Summer Tanagers are not regularly found in California. This species is considered rare here — sightings are exceptional and may represent individuals outside the typical North American range for this species.

Summer Tanager is a North American backyard bird.

In California, this species is classified as rare. It is a year-round resident, present in all 12 months.

Monthly Activity — Summer Tanager in California

Relative frequency of observations by month. Higher bars indicate peak periods for this species.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
RegularSeasonalRare

Identification

FamilyCardinalidae
View full Summer Tanager profile →

Best Time to See Summer Tanager in California

January
Peak
February
Peak
March
Peak
April
Peak
May
Peak
June
Peak
July
Peak
August
Peak
September
Peak
October
Peak
November
Peak
December
Peak

Other birds in California

Birds you might also encounter in California.

Summer Tanager in other states

Summer Tanager in California: Quick Facts

The Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) is a rarely seen bird in California. It is classified as a year-round resident in the state, falling within the West region and the Pacific Flyway migration corridor.

For birders in Los Angeles and throughout California, knowing the seasonal patterns of Summer Tanager can help plan birding trips and backyard feeding strategies.

Use the monthly activity chart above to plan your birding outings, and explore other bird species found in California using the related birds section.