Description
The Royal Canadian Mint has released the 14th coin in what is potentially their most beloved series: Birds of Canada! This stunning 25-cent cupronickel coin boasts a beautiful depiction of the elusive yet dazzling Scarlet Tanager, one of Canada’s most rarely-seen Eastern forest dwellers.
The Design:
On the obverse of this coin, this strong, swift flier is seen departing from the branch of a vibrant red oak tree. The illustration by Canadian nature artist Pierre Leduc beautifully portrays this magnificent bird, while multiple finishes from the Royal Canadian Mint enhance the dramatic colours of the bird against a classic cupronickel finish. An excellent addition to your existing Birds of Canada collection, or any Canadiana or nature-themed collection, this coin also doubles as a thoughtful and affordable gift for any bird-lover you may know.
The Scarlet Tanager:
The Scarlet Tanager is not scarce because it is endangered—on the contrary—there is not a high concern level for potential extinction of this species; they are infrequently spotted because they prefer to dwell very high in the canopy of dense, undisturbed forests; if you hear their call, however, and look up, you may be able to catch a flash of crimson darting between the foliage. The Scarlet Tanager males flaunt a striking, almost-neon scarlet body that is hard to miss, complimented by their jet-black wings and tail. Female Scarlet Tanagers take on an equally lovely, but more subdued plumage of olive-yellow feathers, also with ebony wings and tail. These birds have thick, rounded bills suitable for catching insects and eating fruit. Your best chances of glimpsing this bird occur during migration season, when they leave their preferred tree-homes of oak, pine, beech and hemlock (though sometimes aspen, balsam, poplar and birch) and fly south to northern South America. Along the way, they may pause in backyards to pick at trees with any sort of berry on them.
