Cardinal (bird)
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 Male Northern Cardinal
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Periporphyrus |
The Cardinals or Cardinalidae are a family of passerine birds living in North and South America.
These are robust, seed-eating birds, with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinctive appearances; the family is named for the red plumage (like that of a Catholic cardinal's vestments) of males of the type species, the Northern Cardinal.
The “buntings” in this family are sometimes generically known as “tropical buntings” (though not all live in the tropics) or “North American buntings” (though there are other buntings in North America) to distinguish them from the true buntings. Likewise the grosbeaks in this family are sometimes called “cardinal-grosbeaks” to distinguish them from other grosbeaks. The name “cardinal-grosbeak” can also apply to this family as a whole.
Cardinals mate in early spring. Their nests are loosely woven in tall bushes such as honeysuckle and rose. Their diet includes seeds and small berries. In fact, the berry of the holly bush, which is rich in beta carotene and lycopenes, is responsible for the brilliant coloring of the male specimen.
[edit] Species list
Family: Cardinalidae
- Genus Periporphyrus
- Red-and-black Grosbeak, Periporphyrus erythromelas
- Genus Saltator, the saltators
- Lesser Antillean Saltator, Saltator albicollis
- Streaked Saltator, Saltator striatipectus
- Grayish Saltator, Saltator coerulescens
- Buff-throated Saltator, Saltator maximus
- Black-headed Saltator, Saltator atriceps
- Slate-colored Grosbeak, Saltator grossus
- Black-throated Grosbeak, Saltator fuliginosus
- Black-uuu, Saltator similis
- Orinocan Saltator, Saltator orenocensis
- Black-cowled Saltator, Saltator nigriceps
- Golden-billed Saltator, Saltator aurantiirostris
- Thick-billed Saltator, Saltator maxillosus
- Masked Saltator, Saltator cinctus
- Black-throated Saltator, Saltator atricollis
- Rufous-bellied Saltator, Saltator rufiventris
- Genus Caryothraustes
- Black-faced Grosbeak, Caryothraustes poliogaster
- Yellow-green Grosbeak, Caryothraustes canadensis
- Genus Parkerthraustes
- Yellow-shouldered Grosbeak, Parkerthraustes humeralis
- Genus Rhodothraupis
- Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Rhodothraupis celaeno
- Genus Cardinalis
- Vermilion Cardinal, Cardinalis phoeniceus
- Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis
- Pyrrhuloxia, Cardinalis sinuatus
- Genus Pheucticus
- Yellow Grosbeak, Pheucticus chrysopeplus
- Golden-bellied Grosbeak, Pheucticus chrysogaster
- Black-thighed Grosbeak, Pheucticus tibialis
- Black-backed Grosbeak, Pheucticus aureoventris
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus
- Black-headed Grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalus
- Genus Cyanocompsa
- Ultramarine Grosbeak, Cyanocompsa brissonii
- Blue Bunting, Cyanocompsa parellina
- Blue-black Grosbeak, Cyanocompsa cyanoides
- Genus Cyanoloxia
- Glaucous-blue Grosbeak, Cyanoloxia glaucocaerulea
- Genus Passerina, North American buntings
- Blue Grosbeak, Passerina caerulea
- Lazuli Bunting, Passerina amoena
- Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea
- Varied Bunting, Passerina versicolor
- Painted Bunting, Passerina ciris
- Rose-bellied Bunting, Passerina rositae
- Orange-breasted Bunting, Passerina leclancherii
- Genus Porphyrospiza
- Yellow-billed Blue Finch, Porphyrospiza caerulescens
- Genus Spiza
- Dickcissel, Spiza americana
[edit] External links
- Cardinalidae videos on the Internet Bird Collection
