The red-crested cardinal (''Paroaria coronata'') is a
songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 500 ...
, the
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
belonging to the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
of
tanager
The tanagers (singular ) comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has a Neotropical distribution and is the second-largest family of birds. It represents about 4% of all avian species and 12% of the Neotropica ...
s (
Thraupidae
The tanagers (singular ) comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has a Neotropical distribution and is the second-largest family of birds. It represents about 4% of all avian species and 12% of the Neotropica ...
). Notwithstanding its similar name, this bird is not closely related to the true cardinal
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
(
Cardinalidae
Cardinalidae (often referred to as the "cardinal-grosbeaks" or simply the "cardinals") is a family of New World-endemic passerine birds that consists of cardinals, grosbeaks, and buntings. It also includes several birds such as the tanager-like ...
). It is sometimes known as the Brazilian cardinal.
Etymology
The genus name ''Paroaria'' comes from the
Tupí people
A subdivision of the Tupi-Guarani linguistic families, the Tupi people were one of the largest groups of indigenous Brazilians before its colonization. Scholars believe that while they first settled in the Amazon rainforest, from about 2,900 ...
and can be translated as “small red, yellow, and gray bird“, while the Latin species name ''coronata'' means ''crowned''.
Distribution
This species can be found mainly in northern
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
,
Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
,
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
,
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, Brazil's
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, , ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative_units_of_Brazil#List, fifth-most-populous state and the List of Brazilian st ...
and southern part of the
Pantanal
The Pantanal () is a natural region encompassing the world's largest tropical wetland area, and the world's largest flooded grasslands. It is located mostly within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and p ...
.
[
It has also been introduced to ]Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
and Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
. In Brazil, it has been introduced to various places outside its historical range, as in the Tietê Ecological Park in São Paulo
São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...
.Parque Ecológico do Tietê
/ref>
Habitat
Its natural habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...
and heavily degraded former forest, at an elevation up to above sea level. It often occurs close to rivers, marshes and lakes.[
]
Description
''Paroaria coronata'' is a medium-sized species showing a red head, with a red bib and a short red crest that the bird raises when excited. Belly, breast and undertail are white, with a gray back, wings, and tail. Wing coverts are gray, but the primaries, secondaries, and rectrices show a darker gray. Juveniles are similar to the adults, but they show a dull brownish orange head and bib.[
This species is very similar to a close relative, the ]red-cowled cardinal
The red-cowled cardinal (''Paroaria dominicana'') is a bird species in the tanager family (biology), family (Thraupidae). It is not very closely related to the cardinals proper (Cardinalidae).
It is endemic to Brazil. It occurs in a wide range o ...
(''P. dominicana''). It is also similar to the yellow-billed cardinal
The yellow-billed cardinal (''Paroaria capitata'') is a bird species in the tanager family (Thraupidae). It is not very closely related to the cardinals proper (Cardinalidae).
It occurs in Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay, and northern Argenti ...
(''P. capitata''), but the latter bird has a black throat, darker upper parts and a bright yellow bill.[
]
Biology
This species mainly feed on seeds (of ''Chloris virgata
''Chloris virgata'' is a species of grass known by the common names feather fingergrass feathery Rhodes-grass and feather windmillgrass.
Distribution
It is native to many of the warmer temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions of the world, ...
'', ''Eleusine tristachya
''Eleusine'' is a genus of Asian, African, and South American plants in the grass family,[Setaria parviflora
''Setaria parviflora'' is a species of grass known by the common names marsh bristlegrass, knotroot bristle-grass, bristly foxtail and yellow bristlegrass. It is native to North America, including Mexico and the United States from California to t ...]
'' and ''Spergula villosa
''Spergula'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caryophyllaceae. Their usual English name is spurry or spurrey. Commonly found in grassland, the genus originated in the northern hemisphere, but is now found worldwide.
Species
Spec ...
''), fruits (of ''Celtis tala
''Celtis tala'' (or ''Celtis ehrenbergiana''), known as tala, is a medium size deciduous tree, native to tropical and subtropical South America. With small to medium-sized spines, its one of the main components of the Gran Chaco prairies and cer ...
'', ''Grabowskia duplicata
''Grabowskia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae.
Selected species
* ''Grabowskia ameghinoi'' Speg.
* ''Grabowskia glauca'' I.M.Johnst.
* ''Grabowskia lindleyi'' Sendtn.
* ''Grabowskia megalosperma'' Speg.
* ' ...
'', '' Holmbergia tweedii'', ''Morus alba
''Morus alba'', known as white mulberry, common mulberry and silkworm mulberry, is a fast-growing, small to medium-sized mulberry tree which grows to tall. It is generally a short-lived tree with a lifespan comparable to that of humans, although ...
'', and '' Sapium haematospermum''), insects and small arthropods, generally searched for on the ground in pairs or small groups.[ Average lifespan is about 3.8 years.]
Gallery
File:Red-crested Cardinal Maui RWD.jpg, Fully displayed crest - Maui, Hawaii
File:Red-crested Cardinal.jpg, Juvenile - Kapiolani Park - Oahu, Hawaii
File:Starr-130601-4602-Eucalyptus sp-habitat with Red Crested Cardinal-Hawea Pl Olinda-Maui (24843621609).jpg, Close-up
File: Thraupidae - Paroaria coronata (Red-crested cardinal).webm, Video clip
References
External links
Red-crested cardinal videos
on the Internet Bird Collection
(for Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
, Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
) with range map
Red-crested cardinal photo gallery
VIREO
{{Taxonbar, from=Q720526
Paroaria
Birds of Argentina
Birds of Paraguay
Birds of Bolivia
Birds of Uruguay
Birds of the Pantanal
Birds described in 1776
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
Articles containing video clips