Iowa · Summer breeder

Scarlet Tanagers in Iowa

When scarlet tanagers are present in Iowa, when they nest, which native Iowa plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4b–6a yard.

Cardinals and allies (Cardinalidae)Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivacea

Status in Iowa: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4b–6a

When to expect scarlet tanagers in Iowa

Scarlet Tanagers are summer residents in Iowa, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent.

Humid continental prairie state, with loess hills in the west and the Driftless Area in the northeast.

Nesting in Iowa

Across Iowa, scarlet tanagers typically nest from May–July. Plan around that window: April for setup, July for clean-out.

Hot, humid summers with thunderstorms.

Scarlet Tanagers don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as eastern red cedar, serviceberry, winterberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after July.

Native Iowa plants that attract scarlet tanagers

Of the regional native plants we track for Iowa, these 8 provide food or cover scarlet tanagers use:

Eastern red cedar

Juniperus virginiana · Tree

Dense evergreen roost cover and bluish 'berries' eaten through winter.

Serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea · Tree

Early-summer berries arrive exactly when nestlings are being fed.

Winterberry

Ilex verticillata · Shrub

Deciduous holly holding red fruit into mid-winter.

Staghorn sumac

Rhus typhina · Shrub

Fruit clusters persist all winter as emergency food.

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

White oak

Quercus alba · Tree

Acorns plus hundreds of caterpillar species for nestling food.

Bur oak

Quercus macrocarpa · Tree

Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

Feeding scarlet tanagers through the Iowa year

Top foods: Oranges and grape jelly (rarely, during migration).
In Iowa's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for scarlet tanagers · Best feeder for scarlet tanagers

Frequently asked

Are scarlet tanagers in Iowa year-round?

No. Scarlet Tanagers are summer breeders in Iowa and leave for the winter.

When do scarlet tanagers nest in Iowa?

Nesting in Iowa typically runs May–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 12–14 days.

What native plants attract scarlet tanagers in Iowa?

Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Winterberry, Staghorn sumac, Smooth sumac, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry are native plants in Iowa that provide food or cover for scarlet tanagers.

Other backyard birds in Iowa

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren Blue Jay House Finch Purple Finch Ruby-throated Hummingbird Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Eurasian Collared-Dove American Crow Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Barred Owl Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wood Duck Wild Turkey Northern Bobwhite Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Golden-crowned Kinglet Winter Wren Pine Grosbeak Red Crossbill Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Black-and-white Warbler Yellow-throated Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo White-eyed Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Eastern Whip-poor-will Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper American Woodcock Green Heron Great Egret Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Dickcissel Blue Grosbeak Hoary Redpoll White-winged Crossbill Bohemian Waxwing Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle Rock Pigeon Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Sources

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.