When do scarlet tanagers arrive in Wisconsin?
The Scarlet Tanager is a summer breeder in Wisconsin — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Scarlet Tanager timing in Wisconsin
- Arrives
- Around May
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- June–July
- Present roughly
- May–August
In Wisconsin, scarlet tanagers are present through the warm months, arriving around May and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Wisconsin sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for 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 Wisconsin. 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 May is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early May — the first scarlet tanagers into Wisconsin are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around June, 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 Wisconsin
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Wisconsin-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 Wisconsin?
scarlet tanagers typically arrive in Wisconsin around May, with nesting underway by June. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do scarlet tanagers leave Wisconsin?
Most scarlet tanagers have left Wisconsin by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do scarlet tanagers stay in Wisconsin all year?
No — in Wisconsin the Scarlet Tanager is a summer breeder, present roughly May–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before scarlet tanagers arrive in Wisconsin?
Have feeders up and clean by early May — 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 — Wisconsin
- 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.