Our scarlet tanager is no exception to the rule. It is one of the gorgeous birds in eastern North America.
Its bright scarlet hood and sable wings and tail stand out in strong relief against the greenery of foliage.
The female scarlet tanager is an entirely different hue—olive green above and yellow below. The male resembles the female in fall and winter, except his colors are brighter, and his wings and tail remain black.
The scarlet tanager is a denizen of open woodlands, parks, estates, and gardens. Because it is a treetop bird, it is a much more common titan and is likely to be thought of by the numbers usually observed.
Value Of Tanagers
The economic value of tanagers is attested by the fact that their favorite foods are caterpillars, moths, beetles, and other insects. However, the birds avidly turn to fruit when it is available.
Alder Buckthorn
One of the most useful fruiting deciduous shrubs is the alder buckthorn, Rhamnus frangula, also known in different parts of the world as harry alder, glossy buckthorn, Persian berry, and black dogwood.
A wide-spreading plant with glossy, dark green leaves, it reaches a height of 18’ feet. It is tolerant of soil conditions and does equally well in sun or light shade. The plant is hardy in Alaska and central Canada.
Most of the available buckthorns are dioecious, staminate, and pistillate flowers occurring on different plants. However, the flowers of the alder buckthorn are perfect, so, of course, no additional male is required.
Although inconspicuous, these flowers bloom continuously from May to late summer. The resulting fruit matures from July to the frost.
44659 by Alfred E. Runk