Maryland · Summer breeder

Scarlet Tanagers in Maryland

When scarlet tanagers are present in Maryland, when they nest, which native Maryland plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 6a–8a yard.

Cardinals and allies (Cardinalidae)Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivacea

Status in Maryland: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 6a–8a

When to expect scarlet tanagers in Maryland

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

Humid subtropical on the Chesapeake coastal plain, cooler in the Appalachian west.

Nesting in Maryland

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

Hot, humid summers around the Chesapeake.

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

Native Maryland plants that attract scarlet tanagers

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

Flowering dogwood

Cornus florida · Tree

Fat-rich red fall fruit taken by thrushes, bluebirds and woodpeckers.

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.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

Feeding scarlet tanagers through the Maryland year

Top foods: Oranges and grape jelly (rarely, during migration).
In Maryland'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 Maryland year-round?

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

When do scarlet tanagers nest in Maryland?

Nesting in Maryland 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 Maryland?

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

Other backyard birds in Maryland

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren 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 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow 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 Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Winter Wren 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 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 Black Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Savannah Sparrow Swamp Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Horned Lark Dickcissel Blue Grosbeak White-winged Crossbill Brown-headed Nuthatch Yellow-billed Cuckoo Rusty Blackbird Rock Pigeon

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.