Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)

The bright red coloration of the adult male's head comes from the uncommon pigment rhodoxanthin acquired directly from food (Hudon 1990) . In other tanagers red pigments are derived from yellow xanthophyll precursors which are metabolized into red carotenoids. Rhodoxanthin is also responsible for variant Cedar Waxwings with orange tipped tails. Like other tanagers in the genus Piranga, the Western Tanager is no longer classified as a true tanager but is now included in the Cardinal family.