Scarlet Tanager

Meet the Scarlet Tanager, in LEGO!

Though fairly common throughout its region, this American songbird can be a trick to spot as it often stays high up, preferring forests and shade trees. The male is characterized by flaming scarlet with jet black wings and tail, as I have built here, while the female is yellowish below and greenish above, with wings ranging from brownish to blackish. Despite the black features, I find it easy to mistaken the male tanager for a male northern cardinal.

The scarlet tanager's song is similar to the American robin's, but slightly hoarser. It primarily feeds on insects, and will eat fruit when plentiful.

This model combines two things I enjoy: LEGO and birds. As of now I have built four individual birds, as well as a miniature recreation of the LEGO Ideas Birds (21301) by Thomas Poulsom.

Attempting a more organic shape, I designed this bird with several sections at various angles relative to one another. This proved quite challenging as the space inside the bird became very limited and the choice of pieces crucial.

Another challenge was balancing the bird properly so that it can stand freely without tipping forward. This I accomplished, primarily by using bar-and-clip hinges to angle the tail just high enough before it collided with the wing tips.

Lastly there was the connection of the wings, made by sliding an axel hole on either wing onto a pneumatic T bar on either side of the body, but at a slight angle to prevent a collision with the lower back. While I think this design works well aesthetically, the connection is very weak, and I do have thoughts for future improvement.

From beak to tail the bird measures 8.0 in. (20.3 cm) long, and it stands 4.95 in. (12.6 cm) tall. The pieces total 182.

Fairly small in size, this set could be affordable to many LEGO and bird enthusiasts alike. The moderately complex design provides a good building challenge. I also think the finished sculpture makes a neat display piece depicting such a beautiful bird.

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