Cardinal (bird)

This article is about the bird family. For other uses, see Cardinal.

Cardinals, in the family Cardinalidae, are passerine birds found in North and South America. They are also known as cardinal-grosbeaks and cardinal-buntings. The South American cardinals in the genus Paroaria are placed in another family, the Thraupidae (previously placed in Emberizidae).

Biology

They are robust, seed-eating birds with strong bills. The family ranges in size from the 12-cm (4.7-in), 11.5-g (0.40-oz) and up orange-breasted bunting to the 25-cm (9.8-in), 85-g (2.99-oz) black-headed saltator. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinctive appearances. The northern cardinal type species was named by colonists for the male's red crest, reminiscent of a Catholic cardinal's biretta.[1]

The "North American buntings" are known as such to distinguish them from buntings. The name "cardinal-grosbeak" can also apply to this family as a whole.

Most species are rated by the IUCN as being of least concern, though some are near threatened.[2]

Species list

1) "Masked" clade:

A Cardinalis sinuatus in Tucson, Arizona
A female northern cardinal
A male cardinal in Texas

2) "Blue" clade:

3) Ant tanager clade:

4) "Chat" clade:

5) "Pheucticus" clade:

Incertae sedis - these birds traditionally placed in the cardinal family are biochemically related to various tanager (Thraupidae) groups:

References

  1. ↑ Duchesne, Bob (September 21, 2012). "Proliferation of cardinals a fairly recent event". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014.
  2. ↑ Search "cardinalidae" at IUCN Red List for more info.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to the cardinal family.
Wikispecies has information related to: Cardinalidae
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