Paroaria
Encyclopedia
Paroaria, the red-headed cardinals or cardinal-tanagers (as they are not close to the Cardinalidae), are a genus
of tanager
s. They were until recently placed in the family
Emberizidae
.
Five or six species
are placed here. They are all very similar-looking birds, resembling a Northern Cardinal
(Cardinalis cardinalis, a true Cardinalidae), though they are somewhat more slender, in particular the rather tanager-like bill.
Their coloration is also typical; they are quite unlike any Cardinalidae, though they bear a passing resemblance to adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
(Pheucticus ludovicianus). Like these, they are white below and dark above (grey to blackish in the case of Paroaria). But unlike P. ludovicianus, they have no conspicuous pattern except for the head, which has large amounts of bright red; it may be predominantly so or patterned red-and-black. Almost all Paroaria have at least a short crest. The bill is yellowish below or in its entirety.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of tanager
Tanager
The tanagers comprise the bird family Thraupidae, in the order Passeriformes. The family has an American distribution.There were traditionally about 240 species of tanagers, but the taxonomic treatment of this family's members is currently in a state of flux...
s. They were until recently placed in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Emberizidae
Emberizidae
The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill.In Europe, most species are called buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the sparrows, the...
.
Five or six species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
are placed here. They are all very similar-looking birds, resembling a Northern Cardinal
Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal or Redbird or Common Cardinal is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis. It can be found in southern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and south through Mexico...
(Cardinalis cardinalis, a true Cardinalidae), though they are somewhat more slender, in particular the rather tanager-like bill.
Their coloration is also typical; they are quite unlike any Cardinalidae, though they bear a passing resemblance to adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus, is a large seed-eating songbird in the cardinal family . It breeds in cool-temperate North America, migrating to tropical America in winter.-Description:...
(Pheucticus ludovicianus). Like these, they are white below and dark above (grey to blackish in the case of Paroaria). But unlike P. ludovicianus, they have no conspicuous pattern except for the head, which has large amounts of bright red; it may be predominantly so or patterned red-and-black. Almost all Paroaria have at least a short crest. The bill is yellowish below or in its entirety.
Species list
- Red-crested CardinalRed-crested CardinalThe Red-crested Cardinal is a bird species in the tanager family . It was formerly placed in the Emberizidae, and notwithstanding its common name, it is not very closely related to the true cardinals .It is found in northern Argentina, Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay...
, Paroaria coronata - Red-cowled CardinalRed-cowled CardinalThe Red-cowled Cardinal is a bird species in the tanager family . It was formerly placed in the Emberizidae and is not very closely related to the cardinals proper ....
, Paroaria dominicana - Red-capped CardinalRed-capped CardinalThe Red-capped Cardinal, Paroaria gularis, is a small South American bird. It belongs to Paroaria, a genus of red-headed cardinal-tanagers in the family Thraupidae, unlike the cardinals proper which are in the Cardinalidae...
, Paroaria gularis- Masked Cardinal, Paroaria (gularis) nigrogenis
- Crimson-fronted CardinalCrimson-fronted CardinalThe Crimson-fronted Cardinal is a bird species in the tanager family . It was formerly placed in the Emberizidae and is not very closely related to the cardinals proper .It is endemic to Brazil....
, Paroaria baeri - Yellow-billed CardinalYellow-billed CardinalThe Yellow-billed Cardinal Paroaria capitata is a bird species in the tanager family . It was formerly placed in the Emberizidae and is not very closely related to the cardinals proper ....
, Paroaria capitata