Bird
Summer Tanager
Piranga rubra
A summer resident that nests in West Virginia. Found in 45 of 55 counties, across 8 habitats.
- Here
- Summer
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- 45 of 55 counties
- Habitats
- 8

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- Summer
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- 45 of 55 counties
- Habitats
- 8
- Habitat models
- Summer
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in West Virginia 8
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Shady, evergreen forests of eastern or Carolina hemlock, often along rocky mountain streams and in gorges.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Sheltered, moist mountain hollows and lower slopes with deep, fertile soil.
Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground
Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.
Steep, sun-baked slopes of loose shale with sparse oaks and Virginia pine and their own endemic wildflowers. Linked only where the source names shale barrens; calcareous shale stays with the limestone glades.
Tree plantations and managed pine
Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.
Other habitats in its models (81)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in West Virginia. Those recorded in West Virginia first, the rest by region.
Elsewhere in the South (52)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Summer.
- Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Summer.
- Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Summer.
- Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Summer.
- Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- Cumberland Sandstone Glade and Barrens Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Limestone Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Maritime Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Mesic Slope Forest Summer.
- East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Summer.
- East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Summer.
- East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Summer.
- Edwards Plateau Limestone Savanna and Woodland Summer.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Summer.
- Mississippi Delta Maritime Forest Summer.
- Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer.
- Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Summer.
- Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Summer.
- Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Bluestem Woodland Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- Ridge and Valley Calcareous Valley Bottom Glade and Woodland Summer.
- South Florida Hardwood Hammock Summer.
- South Florida Pine Rockland Summer.
- Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Dry Upland Hardwood Forest Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Oak Dome and Hammock Summer.
- Southern Crowley's Ridge Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer.
- Southern Interior Low Plateau Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Mesic Forest Summer.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest Summer.
- Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Flatwoods Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Forest Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Upland Longleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Summer.
Northeast (4)
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Maritime Forest Summer.
- Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Summer.
- Northeastern Interior Pine Barrens Summer.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Summer.
Midwest (4)
- North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer.
- North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Summer.
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Summer.
Land cover and other classes (21)
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Scrub/Shrub Understory Modifier Summer.
- Developed, Low Intensity Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Plain Dry Flatwoods - Open Understory Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Dry Upland Hardwood Forest - Offsite Pine Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Summer.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Virginia/Pitch Pine Modifier Summer.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer.
Seasons in West Virginia
- Summer: nests here, in 45 of 55 counties.
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in West Virginia, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Dry forests and woodlands
Birds 77
- Pine WarblerDendroica pinus
- Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Northern BobwhiteColinus virginianus
- White-winged CrossbillLoxia leucoptera
- Yellow-throated WarblerDendroica dominica
- Black-throated Green WarblerDendroica virens
- Blackburnian WarblerDendroica fusca
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Barred OwlStrix varia
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
- Eastern BluebirdSialia sialis
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
Plants 192
- Eastern Winged SumacRhus copallinum var. latifolia
- American ChestnutCastanea dentata
- Godfrey's ThoroughwortEupatorium godfreyanum
- White ThoroughwortEupatorium album
- McCree's MilkpeaGalactia volubilis
- Leavenworth's SedgeCarex leavenworthii
- Southern LoosestrifeLysimachia tonsa
- Carolina LilyLilium michauxii
- Tall BellflowerCampanulastrum americanum
- Perfoliate BellwortUvularia perfoliata
- Green Pyrola, Green-flowered WintergreenPyrola chlorantha
- BeechdropsEpifagus virginiana
Tree plantations and managed pine
Birds 51
- House FinchCarpodacus mexicanus
- Pine WarblerDendroica pinus
- Yellow-throated VireoVireo flavifrons
- Palm WarblerDendroica palmarum
- Fish CrowCorvus ossifragus
- White-winged CrossbillLoxia leucoptera
- Loggerhead ShrikeLanius ludovicianus
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
- Prairie WarblerDendroica discolor
- Blue-winged WarblerVermivora pinus
- Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
- Chuck-will's-widowCaprimulgus carolinensis
Plants 1
- Red PinePinus resinosa
Moist forests
Birds 62
- Fish CrowCorvus ossifragus
- Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
- Black-throated Green WarblerDendroica virens
- Blackburnian WarblerDendroica fusca
- Barred OwlStrix varia
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- American WoodcockScolopax minor
- Black-throated Blue WarblerDendroica caerulescens
- Blue-winged WarblerVermivora pinus
- Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
Plants 328
- Gorge GoldenrodSolidago faucibus
- Mountain HollyIlex montana
- Smooth Blue AsterSymphyotrichum laeve
- Sugar MapleAcer saccharum var. schneckii
- Sweet Scented Joe Pye WeedEutrochium purpureum var. purpureum
- Vitis cinereaVitis cinerea
- Fewflower Tick-trefoilDesmodium pauciflorum
- Umbrella MagnoliaMagnolia tripetala
- Pointedleaf Tick-trefoilDesmodium glutinosum
- Smooth Carrion-flowerSmilax herbacea
- Early BluegrassPoa cuspidata
- Rich-woods SedgeCarex oligocarpa
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP summer habitat model for Summer Tanager
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)












































