When do scarlet tanagers arrive in Georgia?
The Scarlet Tanager is a summer breeder in Georgia — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Scarlet Tanager timing in Georgia
- Arrives
- Around March
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- April–July
- Present roughly
- March–August
In Georgia, scarlet tanagers are present through the warm months, arriving around March and heading south again by August. Breeds in the mountains; migrant elsewhere.
These windows are set by latitude: Georgia sits in the southern part of this species' range, so timing here runs earlier than the continental average — spring comes sooner, and the birds follow it. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when scarlet tanagers are expected in Georgia. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before March is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early March — the first scarlet tanagers into Georgia are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around April, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What scarlet tanagers eat while they're here
- Caterpillars, beetles, wasps and moths
A treetop bird that drops to birdbaths and jelly feeders during spring migration, especially after storms.
Full Scarlet Tanager diet guide → · Best feeder for scarlet tanagers →
Native plants that hold scarlet tanagers in Georgia
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Georgia-native plants are known to attract scarlet tanagers:
High-fat fall fruit critical before migration and winter.
Winter berry-cones and dense roosting cover.
Fall fruit.
Nectar through spring and summer.
Early-summer berries.
Supports hundreds of caterpillar species used to feed nestlings.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do scarlet tanagers arrive in Georgia?
scarlet tanagers typically arrive in Georgia around March, with nesting underway by April. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do scarlet tanagers leave Georgia?
Most scarlet tanagers have left Georgia by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do scarlet tanagers stay in Georgia all year?
No — in Georgia the Scarlet Tanager is a summer breeder, present roughly March–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before scarlet tanagers arrive in Georgia?
Have feeders up and clean by early March — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: caterpillars, beetles, wasps and moths.
Sources
- Scarlet Tanager — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Scarlet Tanager life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Scarlet Tanager — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Georgia
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.