Kansas · Summer breeder

Western Tanagers in Kansas

When western tanagers are present in Kansas, when they nest, which native Kansas plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 5b–7a yard.

Cardinals and allies (Cardinalidae)Western TanagerPiranga ludoviciana

Status in Kansas: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–July
Broods: 1 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 5b–7a

When to expect western tanagers in Kansas

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

Continental — humid tallgrass Flint Hills in the east to semi-arid shortgrass prairie in the west.

Nesting in Kansas

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

Hot summers above 95°F; western Kansas is dry, so water draws birds from far away.

Western 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 Kansas plants that attract western tanagers

Of the regional native plants we track for Kansas, these 8 provide food or cover western 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.

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.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Feeding western tanagers through the Kansas year

Top foods: Orange halves, Grape jelly (during migration).
In Kansas's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

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

Frequently asked

Are western tanagers in Kansas year-round?

No. Western Tanagers are summer breeders in Kansas and leave for the winter.

When do western tanagers nest in Kansas?

Nesting in Kansas typically runs May–July, with 1 per season. Clutches are 3–5 eggs, incubated for 13 days.

What native plants attract western tanagers in Kansas?

Flowering dogwood, Eastern red cedar, Serviceberry, Smooth sumac, White oak, Bur oak, Black cherry, American elderberry are native plants in Kansas that provide food or cover for western tanagers.

Western Tanagers in other regions

Alberta Arizona British Columbia California Colorado Idaho Manitoba Montana Nebraska Nevada New Mexico North Dakota Northwest Territories Oklahoma Oregon Saskatchewan South Dakota Utah Washington Wyoming Yukon

Other backyard birds in Kansas

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Black-capped Chickadee Carolina 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 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Painted Bunting Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling Black-billed Magpie Spotted Towhee Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Ladder-backed Woodpecker White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove American Crow Common Raven 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 Field Sparrow Gray Catbird Lark Sparrow Hooded Merganser Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat American Redstart Yellow-throated Warbler Prothonotary Warbler Ovenbird Yellow-breasted Chat Red-eyed Vireo Warbling Vireo White-eyed Vireo Eastern Wood-Pewee Least Flycatcher Western Kingbird Scissor-tailed 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 Black Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Burrowing Owl Savannah Sparrow Harris's Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Snow Bunting Lapland Longspur Horned Lark Dickcissel Blue Grosbeak Hoary Redpoll Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Greater Roadrunner Yellow-billed Cuckoo Bobolink Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle 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.