Listen to the western tanager
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the western tanager
The western tanager is a bird in the family Cardinalidae (order Passeriformes). Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults weigh around 3 g.
What does the western tanager sound like?
Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once. Songs tend to be long and patterned and are used to hold territory and attract a mate; calls are short signals for contact, alarm and flight.
The recordings here are labelled as song. Listen for differences in rhythm, pitch and repetition – the spectrum display makes it easy to see whether a sound is a pure whistle (a thin line), a harsh call (a broad band) or a trill (rapid repeated marks).
From Wikipedia
The western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) is a medium-sized American songbird. Formerly placed in the tanager family (Thraupidae), it and other members of its genus are now classified in the cardinal family (Cardinalidae). The species' plumage and vocalizations are similar to other members of the cardinal family.
Related birds in the genus Piranga
More from the family Cardinalidae
Northern cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Indigo bunting
Passerina cyanea
Dickcissel
Spiza americana
Rose-breasted grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
Pyrrhuloxia
Cardinalis sinuatus
Black-headed grosbeak
Pheucticus melanocephalus
Lazuli bunting
Passerina amoena
Black-backed grosbeak
Pheucticus aureoventris
Red-crowned ant tanager
Habia rubica
Frequently asked questions
What does a western tanager sound like?
You can hear 2 recordings of the western tanager on this page, including its song. Birds produce sound with the syrinx, a vocal organ deep in the chest that can make two independent sounds at once.
Is the western tanager endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the western tanager as “least concern”.
What family does the western tanager belong to?
The western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) belongs to the family Cardinalidae in the order Passeriformes.
Sources & credits
- Piranga ludoviciana vocalizations - pone.0027052.s008 by Francis C, Ortega C, Cruz A – CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
- Song · Four Mile Draw Rd, Custer State Park, South Dakota, United… by Jonathon Jongsma – CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q384342 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Western tanager – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters – Public domain