Wesley the Crochet Western Tanager Bird
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Some birds are so beautiful, they almost don’t look real. And this crochet Western Tanager is definitely one of them! With that brilliant reddish-orange head, sunny yellow body, and striking black wings, it’s like Mother Nature decided to show off a little!
And I have to say, those gorgeous colors are even more fun when you turn them into yarn!
Meet Wesley the Western Tanager! He’s plump, squishy, and bursting with personality. Made with super bulky plush yarn, this crochet Western Tanager works up surprisingly fast and brings all those stunning colors together in one irresistibly cuddly little bird.
Wesley is the third bird in my little Pacific Northwest bird collection, joining Stan the Steller’s Jay and Remy the Red-Breasted Nuthatch. And oh my goodness. I think these three might just be some of my favorite little creations!
One of the things I love most about designing crochet birds is figuring out how to capture what makes each one special. And with a Western Tanager, it’s ALL about those colors!
That fiery orange-red head against the bright golden yellow body is just stunning. Add those bold black wings, a little gray beak, and the tiniest tuft of feathers on top, and suddenly you’ve got a little bird with a whole lot of charm.
And that round little belly? I can hardly stand it!
I think Wesley might just be the happiest-looking bird of the bunch. He’s bright, cheerful, and ready to bring a little sunshine wherever he goes!
For this project, I’m using Premier Parfait Chunky yarn which is a chenille style #6 super bulky weight yarn. Pop over to Herrschner’s for the best pricing or Amazon. If you can’t locate a color, this Etsy shop seems to stock them all and has pretty fast shipping.
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The head and body is worked in 1 piece, starting with orange color yarn at the top of the head and then changing colors at the body. The tummy has a few extra stitches for the perfect amount of squish.
Like my other bird patterns, the details make all the difference when working with a bulky weight yarn. You’ll find the beak, feet, feathers have very few stitches, but very intentional placement. It’s so fun and quick to crochet these little elements.
Let’s crochet!
Crochet Western Tanager
Materials
- Premier Parfait Chunky, size 6 super bulky weight, 100% polyester, 131 yds/120m per 3.5 oz skein (try Herrschners, Amazon or Etsy)
- Summer Squash (yellow): 21 yards
- Carrot (orange): 17 yards
- Seal (gray): 7 yards
- Black: 6 yards
- US H8/5.00 mm crochet hook these are my absolute favorite hooks I recommend to everyone!)
- 10 mm safety eyes. NOTE: if making for a baby or young child, embroider eyes instead
- Stitch markers to keep track of rows
- Fiberfill
- Tapestry needle and scissors
Resources and tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern: Crochet Abbreviations, US to UK Crochet Conversion Chart. Find links to stitches on the “Tutorial” menu: Getting Started will show basic stitches used in many patterns and Crochet Stitch Dictionary shows our growing collection of crochet stitch tutorials.
Gauge:
My gauge is 6 sc to 2 inches. However, gauge is not important in this pattern. You may use other weights of yarn. Adjust hook size to fit your needs.
Resources and crochet tutorials you may find helpful in following this pattern: Crochet Abbreviations, US to UK Crochet Conversion Chart. Find links to stitches and basic crochet skills on the “Tutorial” menu: Getting Started will show basic stitches such as the slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet stitch and chain stitch used in many patterns and Crochet Stitch Dictionary shows our growing collection of crochet stitch tutorials.
Crochet Abbreviations:
- ch = chain
- sc = single crochet
- sc2tog = single crochet 2 stitches together
- sl st = slip stitch
- st = stitch(es)
Finished Crochet Western Tanager Size
The crochet bird is approximately 6” tall x 4.5” wide.
How to Crochet a Western Tanager
The head and body of the crochet Western Tanager are worked in one piece, starting at the top of the head, decreasing at the neck and increasing to work the body, changing color along the way. Then we crochet the beak, wings, feet and top and tail feathers.
Bird Head and Body
Using orange yarn, make a magic ring.
R1: 6 sc into ring. Place stitch marker and work in continuous rounds. (6 st)
R2: 2 sc in ea st. (12 st)
R3: *Sc in next st, 2 sc in next. Repeat from * around. (18 st)
R4: *Sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next. Repeat from * around. (24 st)
R5-8: Sc around. (24 st)
R9: *Sc in next 2 st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around (18 st)
R10: *Sc in next st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around, changing to yellow color in last stitch. (12 st)
Insert safety eyes between rows 6 & 7, leaving 4 stitches in between them. Stuff head and continue to stuff body as you work.
R11: With yellow, *sc in next st, 2 sc in next. Repeat from * around. (18 st)
R12: *Sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next. Repeat from * around. (24 st)
R13: Sc around. (24 st)
R14: *Sc in next 5 st, 2 sc in next. Repeat from * around. (28 st)
R15-18: Sc around. (28 st)
R19: *Sc in next 5 st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around. (24 st)
R20: *Sc in next st, sc2tog. Repeat from * around (16 st) Firmly stuff body the rest of the way.
R21: *Sc2tog. Repeat from * around. (8 st) Fasten off, weave end through last stitches and pull tight.
Crochet Western Tanager Beak
With gray yarn, make a magic ring.
R1: 4 sc into ring (4 sts). Work in rounds.
R2: (Sc in next st, 2sc in next st) twice (6 st). Fasten off, using an invisible join if you prefer.
Sew beak between and below eyes. Beak covers all of row 8 and parts of rows 7 & 9 (or as desired).
Top Feathers (Hair)
With orange yarn, *ch 3, sl st in next 2 st, repeat from * 2 more times. Fasten off and sew to top of head.
Wings (Make 2)
With gray yarn, make a magic ring.
R1: 4 sc into ring (4 sts). Work in rounds.
R2: (Sc in next st, 2sc in next st) twice, changing to black color in last st. (6 st).
R3: With black, (sc in next 2 st, 2sc in next st) twice. (8 st)
R4: Sc around. (8 st)
R5: Fold piece in half, then carefully sc across the double thickness. (4 st)
R6: Ch 1, (sc2tog) twice. (2 st) Fasten off leaving a long strand for joining.
Sew a wing on either side of the body near neck.
Tail Feathers
With yellow yarn, *ch 7, sl st in next 7th ch from hook to form a loop, repeat from * 2 more times (3 loops). Fasten off and sew to the lower back of bird.
Feet (Make 2)
With gray yarn, ch 3
R1: Sl st in 2nd ch from hook (1st toe made), *ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook. Repeat from * once (3 toes made). Then, sl st to very 1st chain in round to connect the toes back to the start. Fasten off leaving a long strand for joining.
Sew feet between rows 19 and 20 of body, or as desired.
Weave in any loose ends.
Final Thoughts on Wesley the Western Tanager
I had so much fun designing Wesley! There’s something incredibly satisfying about working with such vibrant colors, and watching that bright orange head and golden yellow body come together was pure joy. And best of all? He’s a quick make too!
From his plump little belly to those contrasting black wings and sweet gray beak, Wesley is full of the little details that make a crochet project feel extra special. I love that he looks so cheerful just sitting there, waiting to make someone smile.
And now that I’ve finished all three of my Pacific Northwest birds, I have to say, I love how different they are from one another. Stan has those gorgeous shades of blue, Remy brings the softer, earthy colors, and Wesley? Well, he’s a little burst of sunshine!
Whether you’re crocheting Wesley for a bird lover, making him as a special handmade gift, or adding another colorful friend to your amigurumi bird collection, I hope you enjoy every stitch.
And who knows? Maybe Wesley will inspire you to make the whole trio! There’s something awfully satisfying about seeing these beautiful birds together, each with their own colors, character, and little bit of handmade charm.
I love seeing your finished projects! If you enjoyed making this Crochet Western Tanager Bird pattern, I’d love to see yours on Instagram, be sure to tag me @crochet365knittoo. If you are on Facebook, stop over to the Crochet 365 Knit Too Facebook page or pop over to the Crochet365KnitToo Club and share a photo! I’d love to see your work!
