When do scarlet tanagers arrive in Iowa?
The Scarlet Tanager is a summer breeder in Iowa — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Scarlet Tanager timing in Iowa
- Arrives
- Around April
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- May–July
- Present roughly
- April–August
In Iowa, scarlet tanagers are present through the warm months, arriving around April and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Iowa sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here tracks the continental average closely. 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 Iowa. 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 April is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early April — the first scarlet tanagers into Iowa are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around May, 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 Iowa
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Iowa-native plants are known to attract scarlet tanagers:
Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.
Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.
Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.
Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do scarlet tanagers arrive in Iowa?
scarlet tanagers typically arrive in Iowa around April, with nesting underway by May. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do scarlet tanagers leave Iowa?
Most scarlet tanagers have left Iowa by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do scarlet tanagers stay in Iowa all year?
No — in Iowa the Scarlet Tanager is a summer breeder, present roughly April–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before scarlet tanagers arrive in Iowa?
Have feeders up and clean by early April — 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 — Iowa
- 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.