Flame-colored Tanager (Piranga bidentata), Madera Canyon, Pima County

This Flame-colored Tanager was first noted by the owners of the Madera Kubo on 30 April 2009.  It was reported by Laurens Halsey and photographed by Gina Hallgren on the same day.  This is presumably the same male returning for his seventh year, although his arrival this year is a month later than last year.

(Note that the AZFO policy on documenting continuing rarities is the same as the ABC: Long-staying rarities are only documented once, but if a bird leaves and returns, it should be documented each time it returns since it is not possible to be certain it is the same bird.)

Flame-colored Tanager is very rare in the Sky Islands but has been recorded in the Chiricahuas, Huachucas and Santa Ritas. It has bred several times and been observed to hybridize with Western Tanagers.

 

30 April 2009, photos by Gina Hallgren

All photos are copyrighted© by photographer

 

Map (Note that Google draws the road in the wrong place.  The pin is accurate on the satellite image):

View 2009 Rarities Map in a larger map