Red-crested Cardinal

Overview

The red-crested cardinal (Paroaria coronata) is a medium-sized passerine bird in the tanager family Thraupidae, sometimes known as the Brazilian cardinal. Although its name suggests a connection, it is not closely related to the true cardinal family Cardinalidae. The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Plumage: Features a red head, red bib, and white belly and breast, contrasted by a grey back, wings, and tail.
• Head: Possesses a short red crest that the bird raises when excited.
• Variations: Juveniles resemble adults but display a dull brownish-orange head and bib; adults can be confused with the similar red-cowled cardinal or yellow-billed cardinal.

Habitat

Naturally found in subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and heavily degraded former forest up to 500 metres above sea level, often near rivers, marshes, and lakes. Its range includes Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul, the southern Pantanal, northern Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay, with introduced populations in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Chile, and parts of São Paulo.

Diet

Feeds mainly on seeds, fruits, insects, and small arthropods, generally searching for food on the ground in pairs or small groups. Documented food sources include seeds of Chloris virgata and fruits of Morus alba.

Did you know?

The genus name Paroaria is derived from a name in the extinct Tupi language for a small yellow, red, and grey bird. The specific epithet coronata is Latin for 'crowned', referencing the bird's distinctive crest.