Includes Masked Cardinal
- Paroaria gularis
Identification
Glossy blue black above; entire head and upper throat scarlet; lores and large triangular patch on lower throat black extending onto chest; rest of underparts white (or entire head, throat, and central chest coming to a point on breast scarlet, broad band across sides of head black--nigrogenis).
Immature: scarlet on head replaced by buffy brown.
Distribution
Trinidad, the Guianas, Venezuela, and Colombia to northern Bolivia and Amazonian Brazil. The subspecies nigrogenis is found in the northern part of the range in Trinidad, Venezuela, and Colombia.
Taxonomy
This entire genus likely needs revision[1]. Currently, three subspecies are recognized[2]:
- P.g. gularis
- P.g. nigrogenis
- P.g. cervicalis.
Among these, nigrogenis is likely to become a full species under the name of Masked Cardinal (this change has now been accepted by the SACC -- the Opus awaits the position of the world wide checklists[1]); Yellow-billed Cardinal on the other hand might become included under Red-capped Cardinal.
Habitat
Swamps, mangroves and open areas near water.
Behaviour
Its diet includes insects, rice and fruit.
Breeding takes place from June to September. The nest is a shallow cup, about 9-10 cm wide and 7 cm high and is built in a tree. It is built of thin twigs, and ferns. 2-3 eggs are laid.
Voice: Song a clear, sweet suweet-ch, repeated at short intervals; call a soft chup.
References
- Birdforum Taxonomy thread read in June 2009
- Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019
