(Original Title: Rainforest Birds - Red-Capped Cardinal)
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Red-capped Cardinal (Paroaria gularis nitrogenis) - Parque del Este, Caracas, Venezuela
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
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Bird Name:
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 weighs 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 in fine detail.
Initial year: 1965
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.
Initial year: 1965
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, in April 1992.
It feeds on insects, grain and fruit. It is usually present in conspicuous pairs or loved one's 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 safety spot. A nest in the Cuyabeno Faunistic Reserve (Ecuador) had been built in the roots of the Macrolobium sp.
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