Arizona is home to a wide array of bird species, from crows to finches, and just about everything else in between. While all these birds are unique in their own right, only a few are red in color. Their red color may make them easier to spot, but that doesn’t mean that all these species are easy to find. Let’s learn about each one and where they can be found.
10 Red Birds In Arizona
The ten red birds you can spot in Arizona include the northern cardinal, summer tanager, vermilion flycatcher, painted redstart, red crossbill, purple finch, painted bunting, red-faced warbler, house finch and hepatic tanager.
1. Northern Cardinal
Scientific Name: Cardinalis cardinalis
The northern cardinal may be the most well-known red bird in the U.S. Typically, they aren’t found in the western part of the country, however their range does extend into a small patch of the southwest that includes Arizona. Look for them in the central and southern parts of the state around Phoenix and Tucson.
It’s the males that are red, with a vibrant red body and black eye-mask. Females are a soft brown with hints of red on their wings and tail. Attract them to your yard with bird baths and black sunflower seeds.
2. Summer Tanager
Scientific Name: Piranga rubra
Summer tanagers are a medium-sized songbird that was once a member of the tanager family of birds. In recent years, however, this genus has been reclassified to belong to the cardinal family.
The male summer tanager is almost entirely red, with slightly dusky wings. Females are yellow instead of red. These birds prefer to forage for insects in the treetops, so don’t look for them in desert areas where trees are very scarce. Summer tanagers visit Arizona in the summer, typically from May through August.