Yellow-billed Cardinal
(Paroaria capitata)
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Emberizidae
Genus: Paroaria
Species: Paroaria capitata
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HABITAT AND RANGE:
Yellow Billed Cardinals live in Brazil,
Paraguay, and northern Argentina. They
inhabit shrubbery in humid areas
including marshes, flooded grasslands,
along shores of lakes and rivers, and
edges of forests and woodlands. They
have also been introduced into Hawaii. |
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PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Yellow Billed Cardinals are relatively
small birds, measuring approximately 6.5
inches in length. The bill is pinkish
yellow, while the eyes are orange. The
feathers of the head are bright red, and
there is a bib of black feathers at the
neck. Though most of the back is covered
with dark feathers, the white underparts
extend in an almost complete white
collar which almost meets on the nape of
the neck. |
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ADAPTATIONS:
The Yellow Billed Cardinal is usually
conspicuous in shrubbery and open areas
along bodies of water. They are
generally seen in pairs or small groupw,
often flying low over the water and
perching frequently on dead branches
that protrude from the water. In the
nonbreeding season, the birds may gather
in straggling flocks of hundreds of
birds, a large proportion of which are
immature. |
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DIET:
The Yellow Billed Cardinal’s diet is
made up of a variety of seeds, fruits,
and insects. |
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REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT:
The eggs are mostly white and generally
only two are laid ata time. In
captivity, they nest several times a
year, but this probably does not happen
in the wild. The incubation period is
only 13-14 days, and the young take only
10-12 days to fledge. Little is known
about their breeding habits in the wild. |
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STATUS IN WILD:
Yellow Billed Cardinals are considered
and Endangered Species. |
