Their flight is swift and direct. The summer tanager often sits still on its perch, and then moves in sudden bursts. Breeding pairs preen frequently, and individuals occasionally sunbathe. After arrival on the breeding grounds, rival males give vigorous flying chases in competition for territory. There is some physical contact between males at this time.
Males also engage in a lot of counter-singing at the beginning of the breeding season.
During the incubation period, males have been observed chasing females back to the nest. Should the male hear the song of an intruder male within his territory, he will respond by making frequent flights to find him. The male is highly defensive of the nesting and foraging areas on the breeding grounds. In the west, it lives in riparian woodlands of cottonwoods, willows, or mesquites. It is also sometimes found in orchards, parks and roadside trees.