Rainforest Birds - Red-Capped Cardinal

Bird Name:

Red-capped Cardinal

Latin Name:

Paroaria gularis

Status:
Scientific Classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Passeriformes

Family: Thraupidae

Genus: Paroaria

Species: P. gularis

General Information:

The Red-capped Cardinal is a small bird of the family Thraupidae, unlike other "proper"
cardinals of the family Cardinalidae. There also occurs a subspecies of this bird, P. g. nitrogenis, from exists across Trinidad and northern South America. It is frequently found in pAirs or family groups.

Physical Description:

An adult Red-capped Cardinal is approximately 6.5 inches in length and Weights about 22 g. Its head is red and is black around the eyes and lores. Its throat is also black and its legs are a dark hue of gray. The subspecies P. g. nitrogenis is distinguished by its black ear coverts and red lower throat and upper chest.

Diet:

The Red-capped Cardinal's diet is comprised of insects, rice, and fruit.

Habitat:

This bird's distribution spans the lowlands of Trinidad and through the northeastern coast and north-central areas of South America (including the Amazon Basin in Brazil. The Red-capped Cardinal has a natural habitat among swamps, mangroves, and other semi-open areas near water. It is also known to inhabit towns and cities.

Reproduction:

The Red-capped Cardinal breeds from around June to September. A female will lay 2 - 3 eggs but clutch in a shallow nest in a tree or another relatively secure location. The eggs vary in color from whitish to dark splotchy patterns.

The Red-capped Cardinal is a little South American bird. This belongs to Paroaria, a genus of red-headed cardinal-tanagers in the family Thraupidae, unlike the cardinals proper that are in the Cardinalidae. They were long thought to be closer to American sparrows and put into the Emberizidae.

Red-capped Cardinal = Florida's Exotic Wildlife. Species fine detail. Initial year: 1965 Extirpated year: Unfamiliar Established status: Species had been formerly present in Florida, but are no longer present. Estimated Sarasota range: 1 county Not really reported breeding Statewide pattern: No current population Risks to natives: Species Accounts: Native to South America.

It also is a very common species on the llanos of Venezuela. This particular bird was bathing inside a shallow pool at Hato El Cedral, Apure, Venezuela, within April, 1992. The picture was taken with a Canon Camera and zoom lens were mounted on a Bogen tripod. Kodachrome Two hundred film was used due to the reduced light conditions, but the picture turned out fAirly well despite this fairly grainy film.

It feeds on insects, grain and fruit. It is usually present in conspicuous pairs or loved ones groups. It is known to type from June to September, and possibly earlier and/or later. The actual Red-capped Cardinal builds a short cup nest, some 9-10 cm wide and 7 cm high outside with a Seven cm wide by Four cm deep cup, inside a tree or some other safe spotA nest in the Cuyabeno Faunistic Reserve (Ecuador) had been built in the roots of the Macrolobium sp.

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