Behavior The summer tanager is usually a solitary bird, except during the breeding season. Even at that time, individuals continue to forage alone. Pairs are seldom seen by humans, as they tend to conceal themselves in the tops of the tallest trees. The song of the male is quite recognizable, being rich and musical, not buzzy or harsh like the song of the scarlet tanager. The male sings vigorously all day during the breeding season, especially to attract females and in the establishment of territory.
Some females sing, but it is often just a garbled version of the song of the male.
Both sexes give a loud, clicking call, which is used in various situations. The summer tanager is highly migratory, depositing large amounts of fat before the beginning of migration. Migratory flocks can be as large as 30 individuals, though it is not known if these flocks fly together or simply gather when on the ground. Tanagers sometimes join mixed-species flocks, especially at forest edges. At fruiting trees, feeding aggregations often form.